Chapter 1638: Chapter 954: Witch God Temple
"Hong Anguo is much more formidable than he appears. Unlike most Provincial Bureau Chiefs, he has an intelligence background. Long before you arrived, he had already investigated you thoroughly."
"What did he find out?" Yang Xiao felt a chill run down his spine; Hong Anguo’s formerly cheerful smile now seemed sinister and frightening in Yang Xiao’s mind.
As expected of a Provincial Bureau Chief, truly formidable. Yang Xiao had already been very cautious around him.
"He knows about your various identities: Sect Hierarch of the Sun and Moon Divine Sect, Ming Emperor Ye Xiao of the Yu Yuan Sect, and he is aware of your unusual relationship with the Peace Hotel in Xiang Ma Town. Moreover... he knows about Qiu Huai De’s death in Rongcheng Union being tied to you," Professor Cui whispered, "and that’s just what I know. He surely knows even more."
To be honest, the first few matters could still be excused somehow, but assassinating the current president of the Union was a scandal he couldn’t wipe clean, even though Qiu Huai De had schemed against him first.
"Has Hong Anguo arranged for me to manage this team to also take the opportunity to eliminate me?" Yang Xiao voiced his greatest concern. He had been navigating the bureaucracy for several years, having seen all sorts of people, and wasn’t naive enough to think that the Patrol Defense Office was a monolith.
Professor Cui shook his head at those words, "That’s not quite the case. He’s frustrated with you because of your many identities; he doesn’t fully trust you, yet you are undeniably useful."
"Setting aside your shrewdness and capability, your network is too strong. You’re our Jiangbei Province Office’s link with the Esoteric Sect and the savior of Dean Sheng’s life. When Dean Sheng returns to reclaim the Academy, you’ll be the Province Office’s chosen representative in Jiangbei."
"Moreover, Hong Anguo has always felt guilty towards your Director Nalan. Unless he catches you in an outright illegal act, especially betraying the Patrol Defense Office, he won’t act against you, not even for Nalan Shuo’s sake, but neither will he grant you significant use," Professor Cui laid things out clearly for Yang Xiao.
"Uncle, what should I do now?" Yang Xiao was deeply embedded in the scheme, and with little understanding of the Provincial Office, he urgently needed Professor Cui’s guidance.
"Your situation is difficult to unravel; the first solution is to avoid arousing further suspicion in Hong Anguo by excelling in the tasks he assigns to you. Secondly, find an opportunity to return to the Esoteric Sect and inform the Cannibal Buddha of your situation."
"Remember, only communicate this in person, verbally. He needs to come up with a solution for you. Any other form of communication is unreliable, and don’t send messages through others. Hong Anguo is a deeply calculating person, not easy to handle. You can only rely on the support of the Esoteric Sect and Sheng Yanlin of Yiling Academy to manipulate him, so he acts cautiously."
"Remember, the stronger you are, the less he will dare to move against you. To stay alive, a person must have value. Your friends are your strength," Professor Cui advised.
Yang Xiao nodded slowly. These were not the first words of this nature he had heard; both Director Nalan and Elder Sheng had told him the same.
"Uncle, what’s the nature of Chief Wu? Can he be trusted?" Yang Xiao asked.
"Wu Qingcang is quite straightforward. It’s not that he’s naive; he just channels all his cunning towards dealing with Evil Cultivators. For you, he’s easier to deal with than Hong Anguo and is someone you can befriend," Professor Cui assessed.
"But remember, if he discovers you’ve betrayed the Patrol Defense Office’s brothers, not even the Heavenly King will be able to save you. Over the years, even insiders plotting against our own have met their end at his hands," Professor Cui added.
"It seems Chief Wu is quite a principled person." Yang Xiao nodded slowly.
"Not exactly principled, but certainly not bad, and that’s rare," Professor Cui didn’t want Yang Xiao to have unrealistic expectations about his new work environment. The higher the level, the more treacherous and complex the workplace became; there are no permanent friends, only permanent interests.
"Alright, that’s enough talk for now. Here’s this notebook; from now on, you’ll need to learn some new knowledge. You’re new here, and Qinglan City is the provincial capital where various forces are deeply rooted. You need to understand them all to navigate effectively." Professor Cui handed Yang Xiao a thin notebook and a pen, indicating that he should take notes as if in a class.
"Have you looked into the backgrounds of the people inside there?" Professor Cui inquired.
"Most are Loose Cultivators, and the old Taoist calls himself Ku Daoist, claiming to be from the Taoist Sect. The One-eyed Monk is from the Buddhist Temple, and the Trickster seems to be... from the Qimen Clan, but I don’t quite remember the night watchman," Yang Xiao replied.
"He’s from the Mo Family," Professor Cui interjected.
"Oh yes, the Mo Family, I think that’s the name." Yang Xiao recalled.
"Let’s first talk about the major forces within the country. Which ones do you know?" Professor Cui, sitting opposite Yang Xiao, asked in the manner of a teacher questioning a student.
"Leading the pack are, of course, the three major forces: the Patrol Defense Office, the Chamber of Commerce, and the United Federation, as well as..." Yang Xiao instinctively wanted to mention the Black Buddha Mother but held back.
After all, there are some matters he shouldn’t know in such detail. In the realm, there are seven and a half top masters, four of which are within the country, with each of the three major forces possessing one, and the remaining one and a half are in the Black Buddha Mother Sect, specifically the Great Black Buddha Mother herself and the half-human, half-ghost Life Demanding Monk.
If he smoothly named the Black Buddha Mother Sect, he worried Professor Cui might delve deeper into his knowledge. Currently, out of the nine Innate Treasures, only seven have surfaced. Within the country, aside from his own Hundred Demons Coffin Clothes, the remaining four pieces are held by the leaders of the three major forces and the Black Buddha Mother herself.
