Chapter 70
Chapter 70
The next day dawned bright and clear.
Sunlight poured down as the citizens of Mingjiang City returned to the streets. To them, everything that had happened yesterday felt like a dream.
But most people had grown accustomed to the rhythm of life in this era.
The world could change at any moment. No one knew what tomorrow might bring.
At that moment, a private jet slowly landed at an airport on the distant outskirts of Mingjiang City.
Xu Guoguo and Guo Shoubo had long been waiting with several anomaly wielders.
The cabin door opened, and a middle-aged man calmly descended. Several subordinates followed him. They wore masks, gloves, and other protective gear, leaving only pairs of reddened eyes exposed.
“Fourth Uncle!”
Xu Guoguo hurried forward.
“Greetings, Fourth Master Xu!”
Guo Shoubo immediately bowed as well, his nerves stretched taut.
This man was a true senior member of the Xu family’s direct line. A single word from him could decide the future of Guo Shoubo’s career as director of the Provincial Anomaly Suppression Department.
Xu Jianye nodded. “What is the current situation?”
Guo Shoubo reported, “Fourth Master Xu, everything had been arranged according to our plan, but Abyss arrived ahead of schedule and swallowed all of Mingjiang City…”
“For some unknown reason, he has now spat the city back out. We haven’t made contact with him yet.”
“Fourth Uncle, you have to help me recover the Water God’s Authority,” Xu Guoguo said. “Little Gray is starving!”
Xu Jianye stroked her forehead and smiled. “Don’t worry. No one in this world would dare withhold something our Guoguo wants.”
“Come. Since we’re here, we’ll head to Mingjiang City and pay a visit to our old friend Abyss.”
The group immediately got into their cars and sped toward the city.
“Fourth Master Xu, I previously planted an informant in the Cao family. He went in carrying the Burial Shroud. I’ll contact him now,” Guo Shoubo reported.
He took out his phone and placed the call.
The call connected. Guo Shoubo’s spirits rose. Could Cao Yi still be alive?
“Hello? Old Cao, how are things?” he asked urgently.
There was a brief silence on the other end before a voice replied.
“Director Guo, this is Shi Xuan.”
“Cao Yi can’t come to the phone. I’ll be waiting for you and Miss Xu at the Anomaly Suppression Bureau.”
The call ended.
Guo Shoubo froze.
“What happened?” Xu Jianye asked coldly.
“It was Shi Xuan… He’s still alive, and he has Cao Yi’s phone.”
Guo Shoubo’s face turned exceedingly ugly.
He knew perfectly well that Cao Yi was one of the core founders of the Eclipse Organization and had accumulated countless blood debts. Cao Yi had managed to expand his influence throughout Jiangdong Province over the years largely because Guo Shoubo, as department director, had indulged him.
Now Cao Yi’s fate was unknown, and his phone had fallen into Shi Xuan’s hands. Didn’t that mean Guo Shoubo’s own involvement had been exposed?
“He also said he’ll be waiting for Miss Xu and me at the Anomaly Suppression Bureau…”
Xu Jianye sneered. “In that case, we’ll go there first.”
…
Before long, Xu Jianye and his entourage stepped out of their cars in front of the Anomaly Suppression Bureau building.
Shi Xuan, Xu Changjiang, and the others were already waiting.
“We apologize for not welcoming Fourth Master Xu from farther away,” Shi Xuan said gravely.
He had not expected another Xu family heavyweight to arrive.
Xu Jianye was a true power broker. He not only wielded authority within the Xu family but also served as a director in one of the Anomaly Wielders’ Alliance’s core departments.
He would be far more difficult to handle than a spoiled second-generation heir like Xu Guoguo.
Xu Jianye did not respond. He simply walked calmly into the building.
Soon, everyone was seated inside an office at the Anomaly Suppression Bureau.
Only then did Xu Jianye glance at Shi Xuan.
“You recognize me?”
Shi Xuan nodded, neither servile nor overbearing.
“Ten years ago, I participated in a special selection. You were the chief examiner, Fourth Master Xu.”
Xu Jianye looked faintly surprised. He clearly remembered the selection as well.
“What was your score?”
“Ninety-five overall, but my assessed anomalous entity failed to meet the required standard, so I was eliminated.”
Xu Jianye’s expression abruptly cooled.
“Is that why you oppose the Xu family at every turn?”
He remembered that anyone who scored above ninety in that selection should have received an extraordinary opportunity and a brilliant future.
But several descendants of the Xu and other families had fallen slightly short and still wanted those places. As chief examiner, Xu Jianye had tampered with the results and eliminated a group of anomaly wielders without influential backgrounds.
He did not remember Shi Xuan specifically, but someone eliminated despite scoring ninety-five was most likely one of the victims sacrificed by his subordinates.
Shi Xuan shook his head. “You’re overthinking it, Fourth Master Xu. I stopped caring about that selection long ago.”
Xu Jianye snorted.
“And what if you do care?”
To the Xu family, a mere deputy director in a provincial Anomaly Suppression Department amounted to nothing.
“Where is the Water God’s Authority?” he demanded bluntly.
“Hand it over, and tomorrow you will be department director. Refuse, and you should already know how I operate.”
It was naked bribery and intimidation. He saw no need to disguise either.
Shi Xuan shook his head.
“The Water God’s Authority is currently in Abyss’s hands.”
“He asked us to tell Miss Xu that he has a use for this divine authority. She will have to seek another source.”
As he spoke, Shi Xuan took out a scale.
It was pitch-black from end to end. It was clearly no fish scale, and its ridges ran in reverse. One glance was enough for Xu Jianye to recognize it as Abyss’s token-a reverse scale.
The meaning behind giving it to them was equally obvious.
Abyss intended to claim the Water God’s Authority, and he would not make the slightest concession.
A shadow passed through Xu Jianye’s eyes.
He had come prepared to offer Abyss something in exchange, yet Abyss had adopted such an uncompromising stance!
“So you’re cooperating with Abyss now?” Xu Jianye asked, giving Shi Xuan an icy look.
“You have violated the rules of the Anomaly Wielders’ Alliance and joined forces with an anomaly. That crime is punishable by death!”
“Men, seize Shi Xuan and the others. Interrogate them thoroughly!”
Since Abyss refused to negotiate, the Xu family would have no choice but to seize the Water God’s Authority by force.
Xu Jianye decided to detain Shi Xuan first and extract a full account of everything that had happened. Only then could he devise an appropriate plan of attack.
At his command, several subordinates stepped toward Shi Xuan and the others. They radiated such a dense anomalous presence that the air itself became suffocating.
“Stop!”
A voice rang out from beyond the office.
Everyone turned. A group was striding toward them, led by a young man in a jacket with an employee badge hanging from his chest.
“Special Anomaly Investigation Bureau, Xun Fayin.”
The young man introduced himself as he entered, then looked at Xu Jianye and smiled in surprise.
“Director Xu, you’re here as well?”
Xu Jianye’s expression darkened.
“Shi Xuan cooperated with Abyss without filing a report. I was preparing to arrest him.”
“Do you have an objection, Nephew Xun?”
Xun Fayin continued smiling.
“There may be a misunderstanding, Director Xu. Shi Xuan reported his cooperation with Abyss to the Special Anomaly Investigation Bureau.”
“Furthermore, Abyss is a key subject in one of our Bureau’s current projects. We have already received approval from the Alliance. Our Bureau is responsible for all matters here.”
His tone was neither servile nor overbearing, but his meaning was unmistakable.
The Xu family had no right to interfere.
Anger burned in Xu Jianye’s eyes.
Xun Fayin continued, “As for colluding with anomalies, we happen to have uncovered a case ourselves. Silu, bring them in.”
He clapped his hands. Another young man who resembled him closely entered with several people.
They had brought the half-dead Cao Yi, along with Yin Rumei, Li Buhai, and the others.
Xun Silu appeared to be around twenty years old. His expression was proud and aloof.
“Fourth Uncle Xu, I’ve questioned them. Cao Yi was the leader of the Eclipse Organization in Jiangdong Province, and he colluded with Guo Shoubo, director of the Provincial Anomaly Suppression Department, for many years.”
“This time, he even attempted to throw all of Mingjiang City into chaos, creating an opportunity for Guo Shoubo to seize the Water God’s Authority.”
“Yin Rumei, Li Buhai, and the others are witnesses.”
Guo Shoubo, standing behind Xu Jianye, went pale.
“That’s a malicious lie!”
“This has nothing to do with me! Don’t even think of framing me!”
Xun Fayin merely looked calmly at Xu Jianye.
“Director Xu, I’ve already reported the case to the Alliance. Guo Shoubo abused his authority and must be severely punished regardless of the circumstances. Wouldn’t you agree?”
Xu Jianye’s face became terrifyingly dark.
“Fourth Master Xu, you have to help me…” Guo Shoubo began to plead.
Xu Jianye slammed a hand on the table.
“Enough!”
“Haven’t you embarrassed yourself enough already?”
He looked first at Shi Xuan.
“Very good. Very good indeed. Shi Xuan, is it? I’ll remember you. Well done!”
Then he rose and addressed Xun Fayin.
“Since the Special Anomaly Investigation Bureau is responsible for this matter, I naturally have nothing more to say.”
“But let me remind you of one thing. The waves in these waters are too great for you to calm!”
With that, he turned and left.
“Fourth Uncle…”
Xu Guoguo’s face was ugly. She still wanted to say something, but Xu Jianye did not look back. Left with no choice, she glared resentfully at Shi Xuan and the others before following him.
They departed, but the Special Anomaly Investigation Bureau kept Guo Shoubo under guard.
“No… This had nothing to do with me! Director Xun, you know I only did those things because they ordered me to!”
Guo Shoubo panicked completely. If the Xu family refused to protect him, he was finished.
“Do you have evidence?” Xun Fayin asked coldly.
Guo Shoubo froze.
Evidence?
How would a subordinate like him ever dare preserve evidence against his masters?
“If you choose to be someone’s dog, you should be prepared to be abandoned,” Xun Silu sneered beside Xun Fayin.
He waved a hand.
“Take him away. Execute him according to Alliance regulations.”
Two Bureau staff members seized Guo Shoubo and dragged him out.
Xu Changjiang and the others sighed quietly at the sight.
Guo Shoubo had guarded Jiangdong for many years and had once been an influential local figure. Today, he was being hauled away like a dead dog.
And the Xu family?
They remained as unshakable as a mountain. The death of one Guo Shoubo meant nothing to them.
“Director Shi, it’s time we had a proper conversation,” Xun Fayin said, turning to Shi Xuan. “Just what is happening here in Mingjiang City?”
…