Nightmare Apostle

Chapter 1683: Chapter 973: Leave After the Deed, Conceal Merit and Fame (Part 2)

Also, from the tone of his words, Zheng Mingde had suddenly changed how he addressed me, from the familiar Younger Brother Yang to the more distant Captain Yang.

This is a signal; it seems that to protect Sun Long, this guy is willing to risk everything.

"Brothers, get up, please stand up, this matter... we need to discuss this at length!"

Hearing Yang Xiao’s tone soften, those present were filled with ecstatic joy. They understood that as long as Yang Xiao didn’t pursue this matter, Sun Long’s life could be spared.

"Thank you, Captain Yang! Thank you, Captain Yang!!" Several team leaders repeatedly thanked Yang Xiao, their eyes full of gratitude.

However, Zheng Mingde still seemed unyielding, and eventually, it was Yang Xiao who stepped in, giving him a way out, thus calming the farce.

Back in the room, Zheng Mingde cupped his fists and apologized to Yang Xiao, "Younger Brother Yang, it’s... it’s my fault, your brother has wronged you. My poor management made you be laughed at."

"Not at all, your team is united and their camaraderie is moving. But Captain Zheng, I must say, Sun Long may escape death, but he cannot escape punishment. If you take this lightly, I, Yang Xiao, will not agree!"

Yang Xiao is a man with principles. He respects the brotherhood of this team and also sees from this situation that Sun Long must be a decent person regularly, a veteran with contributions, but he will not compromise on matters of principle.

"Absolutely, absolutely, this matter is egregious and must be punished severely as a warning to others!" Captain Zheng expressed his stance.

Putting oneself in others’ shoes, Yang Xiao also knew that Sun Long had made a grave mistake. But thinking from another perspective, if a good brother like Fu Qingzhu were to be executed for a mistake, he couldn’t just stand by and do nothing. Matters of right and wrong in this world are entangled with emotions, and Yang Xiao didn’t want to chill the hearts of the entire Second Enforcement Brigade of the Nanzhe Province Office by killing one person.

Moreover, both he and Captain Zheng were leaders and understood each other’s difficulties. If they really executed Sun Long, the morale would be shattered, and how could they hope to lead this team in the future?

And one last thing, after all, this is Nanzhe Province, Captain Zheng and his team’s territory, and Yang Xiao was merely there to return a favor.

In this Nanzhe Province, he had no real authority. If he insisted on executing Sun Long, it would mean he didn’t understand the situation, and he would inevitably incur resentment from the entire Second Enforcement Brigade of the Nanzhe Province Office in the future.

Good friends would then forcibly become enemies, turning this visit from a success into a failure, something Yang Xiao did not want to see.

Regarding Sun Long’s matter, Yang Xiao also made his stance clear: he would not disclose Sun Long’s leak to outsiders, leaving it to them to handle, but he emphasized that no leniency should be shown. He would keep an eye on the recent dynamics within the Nanzhe Province Office, especially personnel changes. ƒгeewёbnovel.com

Knowing that his subordinate and good brother had escaped death, Zheng Mingde finally breathed a sigh of relief, promising again and again to punish severely, serving as a warning for the other team leaders.

He was not dismissive toward Yang Xiao; after serving as Deputy Captain for many years, Zheng Mingde knew that some matters must not be easily overlooked. If they didn’t punish Sun Long this time, it would mean indulging him and the entire team.

What would happen if a similar situation arose in the future? Would it continue to go unpunished, with everyone begging for leniency and talking about past contributions, only to be easily brushed aside?

If things continued like this, how would this team be led, and where would his authority be placed?

A good leader must be able to reward and punish appropriately.

With Sun Long’s matter settled, Yang Xiao reported to Captain Zheng about the battle on the mountain. They had gained a lot this time, capturing the Five Guardians of Funeral Guanyin alive and killing the remaining three Ghost Level evil cultivators, including the Seventh Guardian Blood Flesh Immortal, with more than a dozen Fierce Grade evil cultivators killed, leaving none to escape. They completely wiped out this nest of evil cultivators.

Faced with such achievements, Yang Xiao was not moved at all, saying directly that all credit should go to Captain Zheng. This scene deeply touched Zheng Mingde, who was accustomed to the coldness of the professional world, and he couldn’t help but exclaim, "Younger Brother Yang, today I truly submit to you. No wonder you, Yang Xiao of Rongcheng, have such a reputation for benevolence, for benevolence!"

"You’re too kind, Brother Zheng. This was agreed upon long ago. Since I promised you, I won’t change. Even if Master of Bone Pavilion were involved, today’s credit is yours," Yang Xiao said with a calm expression.

Here, he exaggerated a little. If Master of Bone Pavilion were involved, Yang Xiao would have turned and run. Running fast might still leave a slim chance of survival.

But he wasn’t lying; even if he had the ability to kill Master of Bone Pavilion, he wouldn’t take all the credit, and would still follow the agreement to share it with Zheng Mingde. This is a matter of trust; a man without integrity cannot stand.

"Brother Zheng, how do you plan to deal with Funeral Guanyin?" Yang Xiao asked.

"For an evil cultivator of this level, we must first interrogate her. Once it’s confirmed she has no value, she’ll definitely be executed. This person has killed so many innocent people, even ten deaths would be too late for her," Zheng Mingde said viciously.

"Brother Zheng, may I make a request? It’s fine for you to execute her, but can you give me the body and her Mourning Stick magic artifact?" Yang Xiao asked.

"Why, do you have use for this person, Younger Brother Yang?" Zheng Mingde asked curiously.

Yang Xiao smiled bitterly, "I have no use for her, but a friend of mine does. A family member of my friend died at her hands. They want the body to whip in front of the family member’s grave to vent their anger and use her magic artifact to mourn their loved one."