Nightmare Apostle

Chapter 574: Chapter 498: You Are My Benefactor

Upon hearing this, Yang Xiao frowned, perplexed by how Qu Muzhi seemed to stick to him like a clingy plaster. This fellow’s nose was truly keen; he suspected without solid evidence, guided solely by intuition.

"Captain Qu is indeed the dragon among men, celebrated as Rongcheng’s premier captain, well-known to all. I, Yang Xiao, am merely a martial artist, fortunate to have Director Nalan’s recognition, enabling me to scrape by at the Patrol Defense Office," Yang Xiao calmly responded.

Unexpectedly, upon hearing this, Professor Cui coughed twice and showed dissatisfaction, "What are you saying? You, Captain Yang, are not someone insignificant either. You should not belittle yourself. In my view, given time, your achievements might not fall short of Captain Qu’s."

"Professor Cui flatters me. I, Yang Xiao, am a commoner without much ambition. I seek neither progress nor position but only a refuge to safeguard. To administer with due diligence and maintain peace, contentment would be enough for me," he said.

Seeing Yang Xiao’s aged demeanor and sincere attitude, Professor Cui couldn’t help but admire him, nodding continuously, "Rare indeed! If all captains at my station had your magnanimity, why should we worry about the world not being at peace? People in office chase after fame and profit, scheming against each other, leading to the pain of friends and joy of foes. This chronic malaise has plagued dynasty after dynasty, unavoidable. Captain Yang, who wholeheartedly serves the public, disregards personal losses — this is truly noble, putting us to shame."

Pausing, Professor Cui glanced around and then lowered his voice, "Captain Yang, I have something to say, though I’m unsure if I should."

"Senior, please speak freely!" Yang Xiao said openly.

"That... Do you have some disagreement with Captain Qu?" Professor Cui asked curiously, "I haven’t been at the City Center Official Residence long, but Captain Qu has repeatedly asked me to inform him if I find anything unusual in your evaluation."

Seeing the complex look in Professor Cui’s eyes, Yang Xiao immediately understood the misunderstanding and let out a slow sigh, the smile wry with the fatalism of the situation, "Professor Cui, I know your character. Since you don’t consider me an outsider, I won’t hide this from you. Recently, Captain Qu has been causing me trouble both openly and in secret. Considering our kinship, I have repeatedly given way, but he..."

Professor Cui’s face showed understanding, his eyebrows deeply furrowed, "Just as I thought. Your recent prominence, Captain Yang, is too conspicuous. I’ve heard of your deeds at the Provincial Office: first exposing a traitor at Qingfeng Public Office, then dramatically defeating the Venerable Level Heretic Cultivator Granny Hong, earning fame in a single battle and attracting much attention. He, Qu Muzhi, is Rongcheng’s sole vice-directorial level captain. With your capabilities and accomplishments, your promotion is only a matter of time. Once you are his equal, you can stand against him, which is what neither Captain Qu nor Chief Huang of the City Center Official Residence wants to see."

The clever thing about smart people is that with just a hint from Yang Xiao, Professor Cui logically completed the rest.

"Now that I am involved, I cannot just sit by and do nothing. Tell me, what can I do for you?" Professor Cui, filled with righteous indignation, could not stand by and watch a simple-minded, public-spirited young man suffer from worldly persecutions.

"No, no, Professor Cui, this is my own matter; it’s not right to involve you. You have the integrity of a scholar, and you cannot fight them," Yang Xiao earnestly declined, forcing a smile of endured humiliation and helplessness, "Please don’t upset yourself over this, Professor. I am an orphan, without parents from a young age; I am used to this."

Calling him an orphan struck a nerve in Professor Cui, anger nearly propelling him from his bed, "Say no more, I will handle this situation! Afraid of them? I, Cui Duozhi, represent the Provincial Office; what can Huang Guozhao or Qu Muzhi do to me? They have overstepped!"

Professor Cui, seeing Yang Xiao’s hesitant demeanor, grew both anxious and angry, reprimanding him on the spot: "Little Yang, don’t take this the wrong way, but you are too kind-hearted. After all, you are in the bureaucracy, and this... this will lead to significant losses!"

Seeing that the act had almost gone too far, Yang Xiao tactfully made his appeal. He didn’t make excessive demands; he only hoped that Professor Cui would downplay the strength of his spiritual power and control power in his reply letter to Captain Qu, making it just slightly superior to that of an average Captain.

"Is that all?" Professor Cui was taken aback.

"Yes, that’s enough. Whether it be Director Huang Guozhao or Captain Qu, after all, we are all from the Patrol Defense Office. If not for brotherly affection, there is at least comradery. You said it earlier, Professor; we should not fight among ourselves and give outsiders a reason to laugh," Yang Xiao said with an open, honest smile.

Words like integrity, sincerity, unwavering righteousness, and transparency bubbled up in Professor Cui’s mind, deeply impressing him and earning his respect.

Professor Cui looked at Yang Xiao for a long time without speaking, then slowly leaned back against the pillow and let out a long breath, "Captain Yang, it’s unconscionable that you haven’t been promoted." freёwebnovel.com

Yang Xiao swallowed the words about wishing to acknowledge him as a foster father, feeling it might damage his image, and instead said, "Had I been privileged to know you earlier, that would have been wonderful. It may seem presumptuous, but you are like an elder to me."

At those words, Professor Cui’s eyes brightened, and he sat up straighter, sizing up the young man before him, more and more pleased: "Little Yang, I have only a daughter, no son. If you don’t mind, from now on you could call me..."

"Uncle, please accept your nephew’s bow!" Without another word, Yang Xiao bowed deeply.

"This... please get up; you are, after all, an official captain of the Patrol Defense Office; such grand gestures are unnecessary!" Although Professor Cui said this, the excitement in his eyes was unmistakable, a spontaneous affection for the talented emerging.