NOVGO.NET Chapter 49: Early Rotation
Chapter 49: Chapter 49: Early Rotation
’I’ve got ten more doses of Black Flame Potion coming. Even if there’s nothing better, the Radiance Potions will have to do.’
’That’ll be enough to get both the Body Strengthening Technique and the Prison Flame Meditation Technique to Master Level, and my profession progression will improve significantly too.’
Back in his room, Su Chen calculated to himself. With this, the only promotion requirement left for Gale Hunter was one last Master Level Training Technique.
Acquiring and developing regular Tier One Professions wasn’t too difficult. You could meet the requirements just by putting in enough time.
But the promotion requirements for Tier Two Professions were genuinely difficult. Resources, time, Talent, and strength—you couldn’t lack a single one.
KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!
’Old Sun is as fast as ever…’
Hearing the knock, Su Chen thought it was Fatty Sun delivering the potions.
But when he opened the door, he found Yuan Chenyang standing outside, his face grim.
“Teacher?” Su Chen was startled and quickly invited him in.
After closing the door, Yuan Chenyang started cursing, “That damned bastard, that wily old fox… No wonder Zhou Xian said a Deceitful Artifact would only be enough to shut them up.”
After letting out a few more curses, he finally stopped. Su Chen asked suspiciously, “Are you talking about the City Lord? Did he piss you off?”
Su Chen immediately promised, “Don’t worry. When I’m strong enough, I’ll get back at him for you.”
Yuan Chenyang paid no mind to Su Chen’s words. But then, as if a thought suddenly struck him, he scanned Su Chen from head to toe, his eyes narrowing.
“You seem to have a way with women. You’ve met his daughter, haven’t you? Think you could win her over?”
“Huh?” Su Chen faltered, then said sheepishly, “Seduce her? I mean, I don’t mind, but I’m worried it’ll break Old Bai’s heart.”
“Oh, get out of here.” Yuan Chenyang was just venting his frustration and quickly moved on. “I’m being rotated out early. I’m heading to the ruins.”
Su Chen was surprised. “But didn’t the Deceitful Artifact prove you had a good reason for this investigation?”
Zhang Hongbo and Yuan Chenyang’s group didn’t have a simple superior-subordinate relationship; in many ways, they were more like colleagues. Even the City Lord couldn’t just do as he pleased.
Yuan Chenyang sighed. “It was the council’s decision. Ying Feng’s people agreed to it, so my hands are tied.”
“But it’s not without its upsides,” Yuan Chenyang added, his tone shifting. “I can use the communication equipment at the ruins to contact my teacher.”
“He… he isn’t part of the Deceitful God Sect, is he?” The thought suddenly struck Su Chen.
“Not likely.” Yuan Chenyang didn’t hesitate to sneer. “That wily old fox isn’t transferring me to stop the investigation. He’s doing it to take control of it himself.”
“The discovery of the Deceitful Artifact confirmed that something is amiss in Southwind City. I made a big, public show of my investigation but officially found nothing. That’s already helped him eliminate one false trail.”
“I suspect the old bastard came back a while ago. He was waiting to make sure I came up empty-handed before making his move.”
Hearing this, Su Chen chimed in, “So devious…”
“I leave tomorrow. He’ll be taking over the Inspectorate in my absence.”
Su Chen finally understood that Old Yuan had come to say goodbye. He couldn’t help but ask, “Then what about me?”
“What do you mean, ’what about you’?” Yuan Chenyang asked, puzzled. “You just lay low here. I’m only being transferred, it’s not like I’m never coming back. What’s anyone going to do to you?”
“What about Zhou Xian?” Su Chen hesitated. “Why don’t I go with you?”
“Zhang Hongbo will watch Zhou Xian more closely than I ever could,” Yuan Chenyang said dismissively. “The ruins aren’t a safe place. It might be even more dangerous than Southwind. You can’t go.”
“Can Zhang Hongbo really be trusted?” Su Chen was still worried.
“That man…” Yuan Chenyang’s expression flickered for a moment before he said with conviction, “He’s definitely not one of the Deceitful God’s Followers.”
“If you run into trouble, go find Sun Tai. I’ve already given him a heads-up.”
Old Yuan was a man of swift action. After saying his goodbyes, he left to make his preparations.
……
At the same time, in front of a villa in the city center, Zhang Yunqing opened the door. Looking at the white-haired man before her, she addressed him, “Senior Brother Yang.”
She then glanced at the woman by his side.
Yang Yan gave a simple introduction. “Gu Bing, a Third-level Judge.”
After they exchanged greetings, Zhang Yunqing led them into the living room. She got two glasses and poured them some tea. “You’re a little late.”
“We ran into some trouble on the way, which held us up,” Yang Yan said vaguely, before getting straight to the point. “What’s the situation in Southwind City?”
“There’s a problem. A big one.” Zhang Yunqing’s expression turned grave. “The concentration of Deceitful God Cultists has surpassed the alert threshold. Combined with some recent events, we can be almost certain they’re planning something big.”
“Yuan Chenyang found the empty shell of a Deceitful Artifact,” Yang Yan said calmly.
“What?” Zhang Yunqing’s expression changed abruptly, then understanding dawned on her. “No wonder he’s been so conspicuous.”
“However, your father wanted to transfer him to be stationed at the ruins. We agreed to it,” Yang Yan added.
“Transferred away…” Zhang Yunqing mused for a moment. “You’re trying to bait someone. Who else is here?”
Yang Yan remained silent. Zhang Yunqing’s tone grew colder. “As a Judge, I have the right to know.”
Yang Yan sighed resignedly. “You’re not going to want to hear this. It’s the Sixth Judge.”
“The Sixth Judge!?” The color drained from Zhang Yunqing’s face, her tone becoming urgent. “Ying Feng… how could Ying Feng let *him*… let *that man* come here?”
“Does he intend to destroy Southwind City?”
“Watch your words!” Yang Yan rebuked. “The Sixth Judge is here to deal with the Deceitful God Sect.”
Zhang Yunqing’s expression remained grim. “My father doesn’t know it’s the Sixth Judge, does he?”
Yang Yan nodded. “He only knows that *a* Chief Judge is coming.”
Zhang Yunqing had an ’I knew it’ expression on her face. “If he knew it was the Sixth Judge, he’d never have entertained the idea of using him as bait.”
Beside them, Gu Bing sighed, as if she wanted to offer some words of comfort.
But Yang Yan’s expression shifted as he suddenly looked toward the staircase. At some point, Zhang Hengyu had appeared there, looking somewhat awkward and out of place.
“This is your younger brother, I presume,” Yang Yan said, his expression calm.
“Mhm.” Zhang Yunqing answered absently.
“A Silver Level physical Talent. He’s a promising one. It’s been a while since Southwind City has seen a Silver Level.” Yang Yan praised as he rose to his feet. “Considering the timing, he could leave with us. It would save him some time.”
Zhang Hengyu pursed his lips, his thoughts turning to Su Chen.
“That won’t be necessary,” Zhang Yunqing said abruptly, her voice cold. “He can just follow the standard procedure.”
Yang Yan, seeming to know what she was thinking, simply shrugged and left.
Once the door was closed, Zhang Yunqing looked exhausted. Zhang Hengyu couldn’t help but ask, “Sis, is it because of that Sixth Judge?”
“You heard that?” Zhang Yunqing frowned.
He quickly explained, “Just the name. Isn’t a Chief Judge one of Ying Feng’s pillars of support? Why are you so worried?”
“Sigh…” Seeing his uneasy expression, Zhang Yunqing couldn’t help but sigh again. “The Sixth Judge is different. He’s… tyrannical, reckless, and bloodthirsty. Sometimes, the damage he causes while wiping out the Deceitful God Sect is greater than the damage the Sect itself would have caused.”
“What…” Zhang Hengyu was stunned. In everything he had been taught since childhood, the Judicial Court was a sacred institution. How could a Chief Judge like that exist?
“Also,” Zhang Yunqing suddenly recalled, “he was a refugee, too.”