Lu Changtian's face twitched uncontrollably upon hearing Li Badao's words.
Ma Minlong was even more distressed. The fear in his eyes could no longer be hidden. He was feeling panicked and guilty.
Lu Changtian's gaze drifted toward Fang Chen, and he politely said, "Lord... The Yin Walkers and the divisions have always kept their distance, handling different matters. Many issues that cannot be dealt with in the mortal realm often require our help. If something were to happen to us today and the news spread, the Yin Walkers may no longer trust the divisions. I hope you will reconsider carefully."
Li Badao sneered. "Are you threatening me?"
Lu Changtian shook his head slightly. "It's not a threat, merely pointing out the pros and cons. Please consider it yourself. Many of us in the Yin Walker faction hold high positions and serve in the divisions."
Li Badao furrowed his brows. He knew Lu Changtian wasn't boasting. There were indeed many Yin Walkers with high-ranking positions in the capital. Whether in terms of official position or their network of influence, they were far superior to someone like him, an outsider sent to oversee Youhuan City.
Just as Li Badao hesitated about how to handle Lu Changtian, Wang Hu leaped forward and shouted with authority, "No matter how big your background is, is it bigger than the Yin Monarch?"
Li Badao no longer hesitated. With a furious roar, he immediately took action, suppressing Lu Changtian and Ma Minlong, while nearby Yin Walkers were quickly detained by the Yin Soldiers.
Kong Hong lowered his head even further. Upon hearing the words "Yin Monarch," everything clicked for him. It was now clear that this man before him had to be a close confidant of some Yin Monarch. Wang Hu, the Day Walker Lieutenant of Youhuan City, had to have already known about this but had not reported it to him!
The Yin Walkers who had come to assist Ma Minlong were completely confused, their minds in a haze from the successive events.
After Li Badao subdued Lu Changtian and Ma Minlong, he turned and half-knelt before Fang Chen. "Lord, how should we deal with them?"
"Throw them into the Forgotten River," Fang Chen replied indifferently.
Li Badao grinned cruelly. "Yes!"
He grabbed the two men and flew towards the Forgotten River.
At this moment, Lu Changtian finally felt a surge of fear. Desperately, he cried out, "I am a Yin Walker, you can't do this to me!! Kong Hong, save me!!"
Kong Hong trembled, wishing he could strike Lu Changtian dead on the spot.
Is he trying to drag me down with him?!
Wang Hu pointed to Kong Hong. "Lord, and this one?"
Kong Hong repeatedly bowed, his expression twisted in extreme fear. "Lord, I know I was wrong!"
Only someone on the verge of utter terror would lose control and display such a look.
The onlookers first saw Lu Changtian and Ma Minlong being dragged away by Li Badao, about to be thrown into the Forgotten River. They then saw Kong Hong begging for mercy, his forehead pressed to the ground in frantic submission. A chilling sense of dread filled the air, leaving everyone frozen in fear.
The old temple leader's mouth dropped open in shock, but his colleagues beside him wore excited expressions.
On the second floor of the teahouse, Lin San shuddered. He turned around and saw that the few subordinates he had with him earlier had disappeared. Upon closer inspection, he realized they had quietly left the teahouse and were now gathered with the Yin Soldiers, keeping watch over the nearby Yin Walkers. Their expressions were grim, as if they had been stationed there from the start.
Lin San's face turned pale, a hint of fear growing in his eyes.
Fang Chen remained silent as he looked at Kong Hong. The more silent he became, the greater Kong Hong's fear grew. Eventually, the terror in Kong Hong's eyes nearly spilled over, and his words became disjointed and incoherent, a desperate attempt to beg for mercy.
Li Badao returned from the void, landing in front of Fang Chen with great respect. He reported, "Lord, those two Yin Walkers have been thrown into the Forgotten River."
The nearby Yin Walkers exchanged glances, fear visible in their eyes. They had always had good relations with the government and had never imagined that one day they would face the terrifying prospect of being cast into the Forgotten River.
Fang Chen, still smiling lightly, turned his gaze to Kong Hong. He addressed Li Badao, "This Kong Hong is your subordinate. How do you plan to deal with him?"
Li Badao immediately responded, "Strip him of his position as Day Walker Lieutenant, then throw him into the Forgotten River. As a Day Walker Lieutenant, he plotted to help the Yin Walkers secure an official position. Such punishment is already a leniency."
Fang Chen nodded slightly. "Then the vacancy in Bijiang City should be filled by Wang Hu. As for Youhuan City..." He glanced at Qing Sui, "Qing Sui, you take the position of Day Walker Lieutenant."
Qing Sui was stunned. "Me?"
Not long ago, he had been a regular Yin soldier, then he was promoted to squad leader. Now he was being promoted to a Day Walker Lieutenant, just like that.
In Youhuan City, the Official Divisions held four top positions. the Nether Guards Commander, the Day Walker Lieutenant, the Night Walker Lieutenant, and the City Lord. Becoming one of these four figures was akin to soaring to the peak, rising straight into the heart of power!
Qing Sui was still in a daze, processing what had just happened when Wang Hu, overcome with joy, immediately knelt and kowtowed. "Thank you, Lord! Thank you so much!"
Given Wang Hu's rank, it was difficult for him to imagine rising any higher. However, by sheer luck, he had now been elevated one rank higher, a leap he hadn't expected.
The Yin Soldiers under Qing Sui's command were equally thrilled, their eyes glittering with excitement as they envisioned the bright future of being associated with Qing Sui.
Meanwhile, Kong Hong was utterly despondent, realizing he had been stripped off his position.
He would now face the same fate as Lu Changtian and be thrown into the Forgotten River.
"Li Badao, you handle this matter," Fang Chen said indifferently.
He then turned to leave for his residence.
The black and white paper figures, seeing his departure, exchanged a smile and closed the door.
Li Badao immediately saluted the closed door with a bow. "Rest assured, Lord. I will handle this matter thoroughly."
Desperate, Kong Hong transmitted a message, "Li Badao, I have accumulated a lot of Yin life. I beg you, spare me! Please, don't throw me into the Forgotten River. Let me live out my days as a nameless soul in the underworld."
Li Badao gave him a cold glance, a faint smile curling on his lips. "Even if you have a thousand years of Yin Lifespan, I wouldn't dare to save you. Go and stay in the Forgotten River. When that sir's anger subsides, maybe you'll have a chance to make it back."
Kong Hong's face drained of color as the horror of being trapped in the Forgotten River consumed him. He could not even imagine the torment he was about to endure.
"Wang Hu, how should we deal with these Yin Walkers?" Li Badao asked, turning his gaze to Wang Hu.
Wang Hu, his heart brimming with pride, savored the moment. He wasn't merely proud of his promotion to Day Walker Lieutenant; what made him truly happy was that he formed a connection with that powerful figure! He deliberated for a moment before replying, "Since Lord Fang hasn't ordered their disposal, we can let them go... for now."
"Let them go? Won't that be a problem?" Li Badao looked at him with surprise. He then leaned in to ask in a low voice, "Tell me honestly, what is the relationship between this Lord and the Yin Monarch?"
Wang Hu's smile deepened as he responded, "Lord Li, since you're a Day Walker General, let me give you a little hint. Recently, the position of the Day Walker Monarch, which had been vacant for many years, has finally been filled."
Li Badao trembled with shock. He suppressed his awe, clasped his fists, and said, "Thank you for the reminder, Brother Wang. I am deeply grateful. If you ever face any difficulties in the future, feel free to consult me!"
Wang Hu smiled warmly. Then, turning to Qing Sui, he said with a flattering tone, "Lord Qing, let me take this opportunity to brief you on the city's affairs. I'll also introduce you to the other important people in our city."
"Oh... okay," Qing Sui replied, his expression slightly puzzled.
Li Badao observed the exchange carefully. He already had a good sense of what he should do next. A bold new idea had begun formulating in his mind.