King of Creation

Chapter 1914: Chapter 1899: Stalling Tactics

The changes before him left Ye Zhen very surprised.

Eunuch Yua, who had been lying on the ground, clutching his sunken cheek and wailing about his few fallen teeth, suddenly changed after receiving a Talisman Communication. First, he froze for a moment, then he collected himself as if he had become a different person, and immediately stopped crying.

First, he took out a blue handkerchief, carefully cleaned the blood from his mouth and face, and brushed off the dust from his clothes.

Then, this Eunuch Yua quickly walked to Ye Zhen, bent his knees, and knelt down before Ye Zhen.

"It was my reckless audacity to offend Count Ye. I humbly ask Count Ye, master, to forgive this insignificant one for this wrongdoing."

After saying this, Eunuch Yua kowtowed respectfully to Ye Zhen three times. After finishing, without minding Ye Zhen’s expression, he got up silently and walked away quickly.

Ye Zhen didn’t believe for a moment that Eunuch Yua had suddenly changed his ways. Surely, there was something mysterious in that Jade Scroll he received, but from such behavior, Ye Zhen was unable to decipher their real intentions.

At this time, the garrison captain, Captain Zhou, also received a Jade Scroll. Upon reviewing it, Captain Zhou seemed momentarily lost in thought, then with a wave of his hand, he dispersed the garrison soldiers surrounding Ye Zhen.

He himself returned to his large tent, where his personal soldiers served him tea.

For a moment, no one was bothering Ye Zhen, who had earlier harmed someone.

Perplexed, Ye Zhen once again approached Captain Zhou with his city entry permit in hand, cupped his hands and asked, "Captain Zhou, when will I be able to pass? I beseech Captain Zhou for a timeframe."

Captain Zhou stood up, and replied to Ye Zhen in a formal and precise manner, "Count Ye, please find a place to settle down, leave us an address, and patiently await good news. Once our investigation is complete, we will notify Count Ye at the earliest opportunity."

"Investigation?" Ye Zhen frowned, "I wonder what I am being investigated for?"

"This is the rule of Zhengyao Two-World City, which has been sanctioned by the Military Department, Ministry of Revenue, Heavenly Patrol Department, Ministry of Rites, and the Military Governor’s Mansion of the Human Demon Battlefield."

As he spoke, Captain Zhou solemnly took out a Silk Scroll. The content on the Silk Scroll was not complicated: it explained that the garrison commander of Zhengyao Two-World City has the authority to investigate all personnel traveling between the two worlds. Those investigated must cooperate with the garrison commander’s investigation.

For the safety of the Great Zhou Empire and the Human Demon Battlefield, everyone must wait unconditionally. Additionally, for generally suspicious targets, the investigation term should not exceed three months, while for specially suspicious targets, the investigation term should not exceed three years in principle.

Most importantly, however, were the few bright red Grand Seals at the bottom of the Silk Scroll.

The presence of these red Grand Seals meant that Ye Zhen, as a Wind Patrol Envoy of the Heavenly Patrol Department, must adhere as well.

Ye Zhen understood that this time, Captain Zhou was thoroughly adopting officialdom.

"So, Captain Zhou is classifying me, Ye, as a suspect?" Ye Zhen asked coldly.

"Some things need to be clarified; it is our duty. We ask for Count Ye’s cooperation," Captain Zhou replied in the same formal manner.

A few moments later, Ye Zhen left an address and departed.

Since the other party was playing the official game, Ye Zhen couldn’t use force and could only leave and ponder a solution later.

Finding a place to stay at an inn, Ye Zhen then got in contact with Gu Tieqi, who was stationed as the Second Route Wind Patrol Envoy.

He asked him to check on the situation in Zhengyao Two-World City.

Generally, once someone has reached the position of Wind Patrol Envoy, as long as the Secret Rank isn’t too high, much information can be accessed from the Heavenly Patrol Department’s Headquarters.

Two hours later, all the detailed information about Zhengyao Two-World City was laid out before Ye Zhen.

Zhengyao Two-World City is led by one garrison commander, assisted by one vice guardian, and has six garrison captains.

Each captain commands three thousand troops, and the garrison commander has ten thousand troops at their disposal, totaling twenty-eight thousand stationed soldiers in Zhengyao Two-World City.

The garrison in Zhengyao Two-World City is superior in both strength and equipment, and the defense is extremely rigorous.

In terms of affiliation, the garrison commander of Zhengyao Two-World City is under the command of the Military Governor’s Mansion of the Human Demon Battlefield. Usually, the personnel are recommended by the Military Governor of the Human Demon Battlefield and appointed by the Military Department.

The current Military Governor of the Human Demon Battlefield is Prince Ji Yuan, and the garrison commander of Zhengyao Two-World City is Marquis Kaiyuan Ji Guan.

Furthermore, Ji Guan is the biological nephew of Prince Ji Yuan, whose father also has a princely title.

In other words, Ji Guan is a part of Prince Ji Yuan’s faction.

This intelligence allowed Ye Zhen to understand why Ji Guan was giving him a hard time; it was very likely due to something involving Marquis Anling, Ji Jia.

For the issue concerning Marquis Anling, Ji Jia, even Prince Ji Yuan had participated multiple times in actions against Ye Zhen, so it was not surprising that younger members of Prince Ji Yuan’s faction would cause trouble for Ye Zhen.

The strange part was that Marquis Kaiyuan Ji Guan suddenly started adhering to the rules.

If he weren’t following the rules, Ye Zhen would have various ways to deal with it.

But once the rules were followed, Ye Zhen found it difficult to handle.

Ye Zhen, as the Second Route Wind Patrol Envoy of the Heavenly Patrol Department, had also learned a few intelligence-gathering tricks.

Spending two hours in a busy tavern having a meal, inviting the merchants, shopkeepers, idlers, waiters, and off-duty garrison soldiers to have drinks, Ye Zhen managed to gather quite a bit of intelligence.

In Zhengyao Two-World City, there might be some people with ulterior motives, but in these peaceful times, aside from defending against the Demon Clan, the rules for Human Clan passage were still quite relaxed.

In their terms, in cases like Ye Zhen’s under investigation situation, not finding some solution means the officials can indefinitely drag things out.

Three months would turn into another three months, three years into another three years.

Since they hold all the rules, even if one were to appeal, it would be to the Military Governor’s Mansion of the Human Demon Battlefield, a place common people can’t even enter.

Ye Zhen could indeed enter, but the chances of finding fairness from the hands of the Military Governor Prince Ji Yuan were virtually zero.

Moreover, Ye Zhen did not have as much time to waste.

Things had evolved into the scenario Ye Zhen least wanted to see.

The other side employed rules to play the delaying tactic!

For three consecutive days, Ye Zhen went regularly near the Two-World Teleportation Formation, and each time, Captain Zhou greeted Ye Zhen from afar with a smile.

But the words from his mouth were always the same, ’Still under investigation, please wait patiently, Ye Zhen.’

Ye Zhen knew that if he really continued to wait like this, even three years would probably yield no results.

If he took a different route, directly traveling through the Chaotic Void, not to mention three years, even six or seven wouldn’t guarantee reaching the Taimeng Demon Realm.

If one got lost in the Chaotic Void, a hundred years of entrapment would be nothing.

Ye Zhen considered seeking help from Grand Celestial Official Wu Yu or Chief Eunuch Yu Chao’en, but as soon as the thought arose, Ye Zhen dismissed it.

Asking these two for help, aside from whether they’d actually assist, constantly bothering them, large or small, would only annoy them, and they might brand Ye Zhen as a good-for-nothing.

Additionally, every time one sought their help, it meant owing a huge favor in return. Such a favor is easy to owe but not as convenient to repay.

At worst, Ye Zhen might be required to repay with his life or head.

Up till now, Ye Zhen clearly remembered that he still owed each of these two one great favor.

Furthermore, in front of the Military Governor Prince Ji Yuan, probably even Grand Celestial Official Wu Yu’s and Yu Chao’en’s influence would be ineffective.

Moreover, even if they could help, Ye Zhen wouldn’t ask them for assistance.

Such matters still needed to be resolved by Ye Zhen himself.

After careful contemplation and deliberation, on the fourth day after arriving in Zhengyao Two-World City, Ye Zhen made his move!