“And he’s even come down with the Deputy Director. The Blackwater Market situation has stirred up quite a commotion. Now that he’s here...”
“Who knows? Anyway, there’s no harm done; everyone’s happy. The Blackwater Market isn’t really our concern. Before, people in our bureau always tried to morally pressure us, saying things like—”
“Lu Ding took over the Blackwater Market and killed our bureau’s investigator. No matter how you swallow it, that grievance and anger just won’t go away.”
“Why bother listening to them? They’re all the same kind of scoundrel. As for me, I would never stoop to extorting, accepting bribes, and protecting criminal suspects.”
“I think the same way. To be frank, if they’re dead, they deserved it. This whole act is just like turning back the clock on history.”
Lu Ding heard all these words clearly.
The people were well chosen!
At least none of them were rebellious or sulky, sticking out like sore thumbs.
Not demanding the strongest, but insisting the investigators must stand on the side of justice in the Blackwater Market incident.
Even if a bit extreme, it didn’t matter.
They must never let Lu Ding underestimate the Lingshun 749 Bureau.
The exact words: There might be a rat in the porridge, but the porridge must never be inside the rat.
The wording was crude but the logic was solid, though it was still very rough.
Deputy Director Ji walked to the front of the team.
He stood properly and looked at Lu Ding beside him: “I know you work swiftly, but you should still give a pre-battle briefing, right?”
Lu Ding stepped forward and said a few simple sentences.
“Looks like everyone knows me; that makes things easier.”
“We won’t waste time. I’ll only say two things: First, today’s mission is to attack Moon Toad Temple and reclaim what belongs to us.”
“Second, absolute obedience to orders. When I say kill, kill. When I say stop, stop.”
“You don’t need to listen to pleas for mercy or confessions. Just pay attention to your earpieces and do exactly what I say.”
“If anyone has objections now, you can leave immediately. No complaints accepted. And if anyone can’t obey orders, you already know what my nickname is.”
After Lu Ding finished speaking,
No one present opposed him.
Just as he said, if they couldn’t accept this, they wouldn’t have been chosen to be here.
Everyone here was not soft-hearted.
Besides, many in Lingshun 749 were unhappy about Moon Toad Temple.
The silence in the scene represented implicit approval.
Lu Ding said nothing more.
“Get on the vehicles, move out!”
The war drums sounded immediately!
Large and small vehicles rolled out from Lingshun 749.
Inside Moon Toad Temple,
Several elderly monks were discussing.
“This can’t go on. The patience from Lingshun 749 is wearing thin. They keep pressing us for progress on capturing the Most Violent Victory. They’re even sending people to follow up.”
“Sigh... Just stall for now. This thing is suspected to come from Buddhist hell described in scriptures. It’s of great research significance to us.”
“Even if we manage to catch it, under no circumstances can it be handed over to 749.”
“Sorry, senior brothers, it’s my fault. If I hadn’t been impatient feeding it live humans, the Most Violent Victory wouldn’t have restored energy and escaped captivity.”
“Amitabha, Zhikong, the Buddha says: ‘If I do not enter hell, then who will?’ You have sincerely repented, accepted the temple’s punishment. The past is past.”
Urgent footsteps sounded outside.
Several voices stopped instantly.
“Abbot, the 749 people have arrived. They’re already at the mountain foot, about to come up.”
A voice inside the room asked, “Who’s leading them?”
“The disciple is ignorant, I haven’t seen the leader. I don’t remember anyone with such a face in Lingshun 749. I only saw him wearing scholar-warrior sleeves, fiercely leading the front.”
“Scholar-warrior sleeves... scholar-warrior... trouble!!!”
Scholar-warrior sleeves, fierce momentum, such a distinct feature!
Who else could it be besides the renowned Yunhai Corpse-Shattering Taishui Lu Ding?!
“People from Yunhai? Why are they meddling in Lingshun’s affairs? Quickly ring the bell!!!”
If it had been Ji Tai today, the old monks wouldn’t be so anxious.
Because they were from the same place, Ji Tai had his vulnerabilities.
There had been many negotiations and agreements before, plus alliances with other temples. Ji Tai dared not do anything reckless.
If he acted rashly, his position as 749 Deputy Director would become a shackle.
The most crucial point was that Lingshun was really the weakest 749 branch—not strong enough.
But if the person coming was Lu Ding—young, strong, and highly ranked—
His well-known “reasonable yet legally noncompliant” style would not fly here.
And the prestige of Yunhai 749 was among the top three in all of Greater Han.
Then there was the matter with the northwest Bai family—Yunhai’s logistics division Tiancha enforcer Deng Guofu stood with Lu Ding and injured the Bai family patriarch.
In the Blackwater Market incident, there was also an unknown crooked-mouthed old Taoist backing Lu Ding. Unknown cultivation level, but a single strike sent an Earth Observation level flying, and Lei Hai instantly killed a Heavenly Perception level.
The significance of their backing was obvious.
That meant two fearsome enforcers were supporting Lu Ding.
Lu Ding himself might not seem like much to them, but these two Tiancha enforcers posed a huge threat.
No one dared guarantee they weren’t hiding behind Lu Ding.
Plus, this young man’s actions were ruthless and fierce!
Trouble was about to happen!!
Outside the mountain gate of Moon Toad Temple,
Martial monks blocked the path, holding eyebrow-level staves, saying: “Amitabha, this is sacred Buddhist ground. Please, devotee, do not trespass.”
He pulled out his credentials and went through a small procedure: “See that clearly?”
Jueming looked at the credentials.
At this moment, he understood. The person in front was no good. He wanted to delay as long as possible.
Even if he had to fight,
He could retreat or block before the 749 investigator’s three warnings.
After all, this was how things went with Lingshun 749 investigators before.
“Sorry, investigator, this is Lingshun...”
A surge of momentum pressed down. In Lu Ding’s eyes, the man in front was transforming into a dragon, terrifying energy crushing the sky.
With a raised hand, dragon scales appeared, dragon claws formed, and he grabbed the man by the throat.
In Jueming’s eyes, the image of Lu Ding speaking appeared, with tendrils of black smoke drifting from his mouth.
“Let me correct you: this is Greater Han too.”
Blood splattered. Lu Ding held Jueming’s halves in each hand, lifted his foot, and smashed the temple door.
Black smoke surged forward as Lu Ding walked through it as if taking a casual stroll.
Behind the door, in front of the temple’s open space, a group of monks held ritual knives, wooden staves, and shouldered meditation staffs!
The sound of the great bell echoed across the mountain gate.
Lu Ding scanned them. In each hand was half a corpse dripping blood, forming lines connecting to the ground.
This posture truly terrified the monks present.
Could this be some kind of humanoid demon!?
Even Wutian was subdued by Lu Ding’s black aura.
These guys... better not say.
Only the abbot of Moon Toad Temple, Monk Zhikong, remained calm.
“Amitabha, Investigator Lu, even if Moon Toad Temple has offended you, you don’t need to do this in this sacred Buddhist ground...”
Before he finished speaking, the wind stirred. Lu Ding threw the corpses forward.
“Enough. Shut up. I don’t have time for your nonsense.”
While speaking, Lu Ding reached out: “Are you returning the items or not?”
Zhikong turned and dodged the corpses. The thrown bodies crashed into the temple, causing a meditation room to collapse with a loud rumble.
The old monk still tried to play dumb: “What items...”
“I said I don’t have time for your nonsense!!”
“If you won’t return them, I’ll confiscate them myself!!!”
Asking was procedure, acting was habit.
Black smoke rose with his words, billowing scholar-warrior sleeves fluttering.
Lu Ding stepped forward. He was to lead the charge.
“Close the gates, seal the mountain, search the temple, arrest the suspects. Anyone who dares resist will not be spared!!!”