Chapter Ninety-Seven: The Demon-Suppressing Nursing Home
People are naturally worthless; only when the blow lands at their door do they learn what was wrong.
Baili Feihong smiled as he watched the patrol bureau forces surge in.
“Drop your weapons. Raise your hands and surrender,” the patrol inspector shouted.
The patrol officers leveled their guns at Baili Feihong and Hu Zuowei.
“My lord, what do we do now?” Hu Zuowei hunched his neck, clearly uneasy with guns aimed at him.
Besides, unlike the Feiyuan Merchants’ Guild, the patrol bureau was an official institution with immense authority. Its chief was appointed and overseen by the provincial government.
“Since when does the patrol bureau get to meddle in our Demon Suppression Bureau’s affairs?” Baili Feihong rolled his eyes and shot Hu Zuowei a fierce glare.
This fellow really had no backbone at all.
“But the patrol bureau will not care about our Demon Suppression Bureau’s face,” Hu Zuowei said in a low voice.
“Which is stronger, the patrol bureau or our Demon Suppression Bureau?” Baili Feihong kicked Hu Zuowei. “Tell them to get lost. For the sake of their chief’s face, I’ll let them go.”
General Huang Minghui had personally instructed him that if anything happened, he could seek out the chief of the patrol bureau; the man was an old friend of his.
Since he was Huang Minghui’s old friend, and also from Easting City, that face had to be given, at least somewhat.
“Understood, my lord. I’ll go speak with them at once.”
“Get lost.”
Speak with them?
What was there to discuss? In Easting City, the patrol bureau was merely a subordinate branch of the Demon Suppression Bureau, handling the hard, dirty work.
Within the Great Yuan Empire, it was the same everywhere.
Watching the Feiyuan Merchants’ Guild guards all lie prostrate on the ground, the guild’s higher-ups burned with anger but dared not speak.
Who could have imagined that the Feiyuan Merchants’ Guild headquarters would be attacked on Feiyuan Island?
Even more infuriating was that the attackers were officials.
The Demon Suppression Bureau.
The Demon Suppression Bureau, which had lain silent on this island for so long, had finally erupted again.
It had trampled over the Feiyuan Merchants’ Guild to proclaim its return.
“Greetings, Lord Demon Overseer. This old one is Wang Chongqing, vice chairman of the Feiyuan Merchants’ Guild. I wonder when our guild offended Your Lordship, to the point that you destroyed our headquarters building?” said a middle-aged man in elegant white robes, his temples streaked with gray, as he stepped forward and cupped his hands.
“Our Feiyuan Merchants’ Guild has not violated the laws of the Great Yuan. We hope the Demon Suppression Bureau can give us an explanation.”
Though Wang Chongqing was covered in dust and grime, he possessed a certain bearing. It was this presence that kept him from fearing the threat before him.
“I heard your young guild master is quite the arrogant one. Even my governor’s residence dares to stay in,” Baili Feihong said coldly.
“My lord, there may be a misunderstanding. The residence purchased by Young Guild Master Han Feiyuan was bought from the Southern Naval Fleet. Moreover, your bureau also accepted payment.”
Wang Chongqing, however, let out a breath of relief.
If it were only that matter, it might still be salvageable.
A pity about the building, though. It had taken the guild so much wealth to erect that headquarters tower.
“What right does the Southern Naval Fleet have to sell the governor’s residence? A mere minor heir of a merchant guild dares challenge the Demon Suppression Bureau? Who gave you such courage?”
Baili Feihong’s tone was light.
Yet the killing intent hidden within it made Wang Chongqing shiver from head to toe.
He sensed that something was very wrong.
They had grown used to the Southern Naval Fleet acting as king on Feiyuan Island.
They had forgotten that behind the Southern Naval Fleet stood the entire Great Yuan Empire.
The most powerful empire in the world.
Though the Farr Empire had risen, its foundations still lagged far behind the Great Yuan Empire’s.
It had been able to defeat the Southern Naval Fleet and tangle with the Great Yuan Empire in the Demon Gorge to this day without a clear victor only because the Great Yuan had been grievously split from within, creating the opening it needed.
“Brothers from the patrol bureau, I am Hu Zuowei, an Elite Grade Demon Suppressor of the Demon Suppression Bureau,” Hu Zuowei said, cupping his hands toward them.
The patrol officers surrounding the Demon Suppression Bureau men exchanged glances.
The Demon Suppression Bureau attacking the Feiyuan Merchants’ Guild?
Since when had the Demon Suppression Bureau grown such courage?
But what were they supposed to do now? Fire?
All the patrol officers could only look toward their inspector.
The pressure on Inspector Yang mounted at once.
The provincial government had already blamed the patrol bureau for poor handling of affairs.
The Feiyuan Merchants’ Guild tower had been destroyed, and they had been ordered to arrest the culprits.
But they had never imagined that the ones who destroyed the Feiyuan Merchants’ Guild building were the Demon Suppression Bureau.
“Since when did the Demon Suppression Bureau gain such ability? Weren’t they being crushed so thoroughly by the Southern Naval Fleet that they could not even lift their heads? Even their own building was lost,” Yang Inspector thought, finding the matter deeply strange.
It seemed the patrol bureau had stumbled into the power struggle between the Southern Naval Fleet and the Demon Suppression Bureau.
“My lord is handling an official case. I ask the brothers of the patrol bureau not to interfere, and preferably to leave this place,” Hu Zuowei said after some thought, still choosing to warn them.
He did not want them to provoke their own lord, whose killing intent was very heavy.
If the Demon Overseer became displeased, he might very well slaughter this entire patrol bureau detachment.
It was not easy for these men to enter the patrol bureau.
Hu Zuowei did not want anything to happen to them.
“Demon Suppressor Hu, this is an order from the provincial government...”
“Tell the prefect to come to the Demon Suppression Tower to see me. You may all get lost now.”
Baili Feihong turned around and roared.
Why waste words with this group of patrol officers?
Suppress them directly with official authority.
His status was no longer what it once had been; he was no longer a mere Demon Suppressor.
He was now the man in charge of the Demon Suppression Bureau on Feiyuan Island, the most special and most powerful office of its kind on the island.
He stood on equal footing with the provincial governor.
Why should he be courteous to the provincial government?
In truth, Baili Feihong was not usually this hot-tempered, nor was he a man of such cold and ruthless methods.
But he had to act this way.
On Feiyuan Island, he could not spend every day at war with the Southern Naval Fleet and with the provincial institutions of the Great Yuan, turning the place into a blood-soaked battlefield.
The court would not permit it.
As the saying went, when a new official takes office, he may burn three fires.
Before those three fires are spent, so long as he does not cross the bottom line, the higher authorities will not interfere.
But once those three fires are over, if he still cannot control the situation and keeps stirring trouble, then his position will never be secure.
If you will not leave, someone will make you leave.
Baili Feihong understood these rules of official life very well.
He had already lived through the games of corporate politics.
Inspector Yang’s expression darkened.
But he could feel the killing intent in the Demon Overseer’s voice.
If he disobeyed, this inspector would have gone too far indeed.
“Since this is a case of the Demon Suppression Bureau, our patrol bureau has no reason to interfere. Withdraw.”
Inspector Yang was also a smart man.
At this moment, he could not make the decision himself.
He could only report the matter truthfully to the chief, and then to the provincial prefect.
As Yang Inspector ordered the retreat, the upper ranks of the Feiyuan Merchants’ Guild looked even more grim.
“My lord, what must we do for you to spare our Feiyuan Merchants’ Guild?” Wang Chongqing’s attitude had become deferential.
Behind him stood a large group of guild members.
If all of them died, the Feiyuan Merchants’ Guild would truly be finished.
“I’ll give you a way out. Treat it as though you unknowingly rented the governor’s residence,” Baili Feihong said, accepting victory when it was in hand.
Unless he truly meant to destroy the Feiyuan Merchants’ Guild and kill every last one of them.
From the looks of it, the goal had already been achieved.
Rebuilding the Demon Suppression Bureau would not happen in a day or two.
“Thank you for your mercy, my lord. Please tell us your conditions. Whatever our guild can fulfill, we shall certainly fulfill, and we will compensate for the Demon Overseer’s losses.”
“No, it is the Demon Suppression Bureau’s loss. The governor’s residence is not my private home.”
Baili Feihong said with a smile, very much appreciating the man before him.
This was a man who understood the situation.
“Yes, yes. Please give our Feiyuan Merchants’ Guild a chance to compensate the Demon Suppression Bureau for its losses.”
The heavy burden on Wang Chongqing’s shoulders finally eased.
He was a businessman; he knew only how to do business.
“The rent for the governor’s residence is a little expensive. After all, it is the residence of a Demon Overseer, so being pricey is only natural.”
“Please name the amount, my lord.”
“Ten thousand gold a day.”
Baili Feihong held up one finger.
Wang Chongqing very much wanted to curse aloud upon hearing the number.
But he understood that what he needed to do was agree immediately and settle the matter at hand.
He could see that this young Demon Overseer before him carried a very heavy aura of bloodlust.
Anyone who went against his wishes would have a butcher’s blade raised against them without mercy.
What charge?
A demon infestation?
Wang Chongqing did not dare imagine it.
He only hoped the Han family head would understand this principle.
Otherwise, the Feiyuan Merchants’ Guild truly could not withstand the blow.
The Feiyuan Merchants’ Guild did not belong to Chairman Han alone.
Behind the major powers of the entire Feiyuan Island, many had their stake in it.
And many of Chairman Han’s shares were actually held on behalf of the Southern Naval Fleet.
“Then I will trouble Chairman Wang to have someone deliver the Demon Suppression Bureau’s rent to the Demon Suppression Tower,” Baili Feihong said, turning to leave.
The Demon Suppression Tower?
Was that not occupied by the Southern Naval Fleet?
Wang Chongqing’s expression changed drastically.
This was important information.
“My lord, the Demon Suppression Tower...”
“The meeting time for the Demon Suppression Bureau is almost here. I trouble Demon Suppressor Hu to notify the other brothers of the bureau that the location has been changed to the Demon Suppression Tower.”
Baili Feihong said with certainty.
He had already brought down the Feiyuan Merchants’ Guild building.
Yet the Southern Naval Fleet had not sent anyone.
Clearly, his intent had already been conveyed to that female general.
With the Feiyuan Merchants’ Guild building destroyed, the message released by this act was something Commander-in-Chief Yan surely understood perfectly well.
Since the other side had not moved, that meant it had silently agreed.
They had played with the Feiyuan Merchants’ Guild for so long; it was only right to leave some time for the Southern Naval Fleet to clean up its own mess.
The Southern Naval Fleet’s position could not yet be shaken.
For the sake of the bigger picture, the second fire would be raised high, then set down lightly.
As for the third fire, of course, it would be the meeting between himself and Commander-in-Chief Yan.
That fire would be the decisive one.
Behind power stood force.
“Yes, my lord.”
Hu Zuowei hurried away.
Baili Feihong headed alone toward the Demon Suppression Tower.
He did not know its exact location.
The Demon Suppression Tower had a special formation that suppressed demonic auras, and he could sense its unique presence.
Following the position he had sensed, Baili Feihong walked on while observing his surroundings.
In the center of the city, powerful surges of primordial energy were erupting.
“The number of experts in the Primordial Core Realm on Feiyuan Island is far greater than in Easting City.”
“It seems I must also begin to train seriously.”
“If I am suppressed by Commander-in-Chief Yan Fei today, then the territory I have seized will be handed back to her in the blink of an eye.”
“The authority I have finally built up will also suffer a heavy blow.”
“And it will be unfavorable for the Demon Suppression Bureau’s recruitment of Demon Suppressors on Feiyuan Island in the future.”
Baili Feihong’s ultimate goal was to rebuild the Demon Suppression Bureau.
To restore it to its true form.
He had not come to Feiyuan Island to cause trouble.
Because a fact stood plainly before him: as a Demon Overseer, he could not move Yan Fei.
He ignored the primordial energy surges erupting in the center of Southern Harbor City.
He had too many miscellaneous matters of his own; such disturbances should be left to the provincial government.
Soon, the surge of energy ended.
Very quickly, he also found the Demon Suppression Tower.
The provincial-level Demon Suppression Tower erected on Feiyuan Island had been built relatively late.
Back when the Southern Naval Fleet sailed south and passed through these waters, they discovered that the surrounding sea region of Feiyuan Island held immense strategic value.
It took a very long time to wipe out the native demons, evil gods, and cults of the island.
Only after suppressing the local powers for a long period did they finally bring Feiyuan Island into the territory of the Great Yuan Empire.
The Demon Suppression Bureau itself did not establish a presence here until long after the Southern Naval Fleet had settled on the island, once this imperial territory had gradually become the most prosperous island in the entire sea.
The military had strongly opposed the bureau’s involvement in Feiyuan Island.
Unfortunately, the opposition was useless.
The Gu Liang royal house needed to control this place, and it also needed the Demon Suppression Bureau here on Feiyuan Island to check the Southern Naval Fleet.
Square and imposing, like a colossal cauldron, it stood on the shore.
No buildings were erected around it, and a dense forest concealed the Demon Suppression Tower from view.
At the entrance, a plaque reading Southern Naval Fleet Headquarters was being taken down by soldiers.
“This Yan Commander is not easy to deal with,” someone seemed to have noticed him.
A middle-aged general with a thick and vigorous aura jogged over.
“Deputy Chief of Staff Lu Zhiwei of the Southern Naval Fleet Headquarters greets Lord Baili, the Demon Overseer.”
From ten paces away, the man cupped his hands in greeting.
His temperament was steady, lacking the arrogance so common among the Southern Naval Fleet’s generals.
“Chief of Staff Lu, greetings.”
Baili Feihong studied him.
Lu Zhiwei corrected him, “My lord, I am only the deputy chief of staff.”
“The rented Demon Suppression Tower has already been emptied. Please inspect it at your leisure. If there is any place in the tower still needing repair, the Demon Overseer may call upon me at any time.”
Lu Zhiwei kept his gaze straight ahead as he spoke these words.
No expression could be seen on his face; he was as resolute as iron.
Good heavens, to seize something and then settle it with the words “rental.”
“Many thanks, Deputy Chief of Staff Lu.”
The establishment of the staff department was actually related to the Farr Empire.
Many senior officers of the Great Yuan Empire had once studied in the Farr Empire.
In naval development, the Great Yuan Empire had always lagged behind the Farr Empire.
To admit that others were strong was a virtue.
Only by seeing the gap could one improve.
In earlier years, the change from the Ministry of War to the Military Ministry, and the separation of military affairs from government, had been the greatest decision made by the Gu Liang royal house in recent years.
Baili Feihong looked up at the naval soldiers hauling goods. Their quality was far beyond that of ordinary men.
In the Great Yuan Empire, they would all count as elite troops.
The soldiers carrying out the removals were packed densely together. Hundreds of carriages stretched into a long line, emptying the Demon Suppression Tower.
Baili Feihong entered the tower for a circuit, and the first thing he saw was that every door had a key inserted in it.
Lu Zhiwei accompanied Baili Feihong the whole way, but did not say another word.
The two of them walked through the Demon Suppression Tower in perfect tacit understanding.
“Since the Demon Overseer has no objections, I shall take my leave.”
“Farewell, Deputy Chief of Staff Lu.”
The handover was very simple.
The more straightforward it was, the more solemn Baili Feihong became inwardly.
In the future struggle against the Southern Naval Fleet, his situation would be extremely difficult.
He had seen the ugly side of the Southern Naval Fleet, so many flaws that were hard to erase.
Yet at the same time, he had also seen its elite side.
Emptying the entire Demon Suppression Tower may not have taken even the time of a single incense stick.
The method by which they dismantled and moved everything was far too practiced.
“My lord, all the brothers from our Demon Suppression Bureau have arrived,” Hu Zuowei hurried over to report.
Baili Feihong looked toward the Demon Suppressors of Feiyuan Island.
“Go inside the tower and find a place suitable for a meeting. Wait for me there.”
In an instant, Baili Feihong’s heart died.
Damn it.
Eight old men.
And three of them were physically disabled.
Hu Zuowei was the youngest of the lot.
This is the Demon Suppression Bureau, not a retirement home.
A Demon Suppression retirement home.
Commander Gong Yu really had remarkable skill, transporting him to Feiyuan Island and letting him take this step at once, saving him decades of effort.
Straight to retirement, without detour.
“Yes, my lord.”
Hu Zuowei looked at the familiar Demon Suppression Tower, tears welling in his eyes.
For a moment, he could not control his emotions and burst into sobs.
The other seven old men, infected by his emotion, also wept freely.
Baili Feihong felt his head swell with pain.