Free Web NovelChapter 380: Chapter 380: Pointing out the Way
For the Empire’s major official factions, cooperating with the Artifact Refining Workshop was nothing short of a political imperative.
But now, the Artifact Refining Workshop was actually canceling its partnership with the City Construction Department. The news was so shocking that Director Wu’s heart nearly stopped.
’This means the Artifact Refining Workshop is displeased with my City Construction Department.’
He had only secured his position as Director of the City Construction Department because he had some connections in the imperial court. But if the Empire learned that his department had provoked the Artifact Refining Workshop, he would be stripped of his post in a heartbeat.
In a panic, he immediately summoned the deputy directors of the City Construction Department and let loose a torrent of abuse.
He rarely involved himself in the department’s day-to-day affairs, so he was certain one of the deputy directors must have offended someone from the Artifact Refining Workshop.
The deputy directors were utterly bewildered as they were viciously berated.
After being cursed out for what felt like an eternity, one of them finally worked up the nerve to ask, "Director Wu, might you be mistaken? None of us are idiots. We would never dare to provoke the Artifact Refining Workshop. Isn’t it possible there’s been a misunderstanding?"
"That’s right! When have we ever been anything but respectful to the masters from the Artifact Refining Workshop? We wouldn’t even dare to fart in their presence."
"The last time I saw a common apprentice from the Workshop, I still respectfully addressed him as ’Master.’ None of us have the nerve to offend them."
The deputy directors all pleaded their innocence.
Hearing their pleas, Director Wu only grew more furious. "You useless wastes of space! You don’t even know how you offended them! If you didn’t, why would they cancel our partnership? You blockheads!"
After letting off steam, Director Wu realized that more yelling wouldn’t solve anything. The priority was to find the root of the problem, figure out what happened, and then find a way to fix it.
And so, the entire City Construction Department scrambled into action, trying to dig up any information on their recent interactions with the Artifact Refining Workshop.
It didn’t take long for the story of what had happened at the market that day to reach the ears of Director Wu and his deputies.
Director Wu nearly coughed up a mouthful of blood in sheer rage.
Damn it all! After all that, it turned out to be one of his own captains, audacious enough to try and tear down the Artifact Refining Workshop’s stall.
Wasn’t that just asking for trouble? It was one thing for the man to have a death wish, but he had to drag the entire City Construction Department down with him!
"Drag that man here at once!"
Director Wu wanted nothing more than to skin that captain alive.
And so, everyone in the City Construction Department began a frantic search for Huang Zhong and his men.
But Huang Zhong and his men were drunk in a tavern, nowhere to be found. Director Wu and the others were worried sick.
It wasn’t until midnight that someone finally used their connections to find Captain Huang and his men passed out drunk in a tavern.
Without a word, a group of personnel from the department hauled them back like sacks of dead pigs.
Seeing the state Huang Zhong and his men were in, Director Wu and the others became even more enraged.
’I’m over here stressing out, and these bastards who caused all the trouble were out drinking and having a good time! Damn it, dicing you into a thousand pieces wouldn’t be enough to quell my rage!’ freēwebnovel.com
A basin of cold water splashed over them, jolting Huang Zhong and his men awake.
When they took in their surroundings, a cold sweat broke out on their skin, and they began to tremble in fear. freēwēbηovel.c૦m
Director Wu didn’t waste time on words. He immediately demanded to know the full story.
Huang Zhong and his men knew they were in deep trouble. As they explained, they kept trying to use Qin Yu and the Qin family as a shield.
After hearing their story, Director Wu began lashing them furiously. WHIP! CRACK! He beat them until they were covered in blood, then snarled through gritted teeth, "Young Master Qin Yu? Qin Yu my ass! The Artifact Refining Workshop is at our throats! Forget fucking Qin Yu—even the Patriarch of the Qin family couldn’t help you now! If you want to get yourselves killed, fine, but don’t you dare drag me down with you!"
Director Wu was filled with a burning hatred.
’It was all because that spoiled brat Qin Yu wanted to stir up trouble, and my own pack of idiots shamelessly played along. Now they’ve offended the Artifact Refining Workshop and implicated me.’
The City Construction Department spent the entire night deliberating on a solution. The safest bet, they decided, was to find someone from the Artifact Refining Workshop to sound them out and see where they stood.
It had to be said, Director Wu’s network was quite impressive. He actually had an acquaintance inside the Artifact Refining Workshop, who was an apprentice there.
Though called an apprentice, this person was actually a disciple of Master Li Xu. As a Tier Four Artifact Refiner, his standing in the Workshop was by no means low.
The moment Director Wu saw the Artifact Refiner, he cried out with a look of profound shame.
"Brother Gao, I am so ashamed. It’s my fault for failing to properly manage my subordinates. I’ve offended your Artifact Refining Workshop. It’s all my fault."
The apprentice’s name was Gao Jun. He was actually a few years younger than Director Wu, but they had known each other for seven or eight years. He could only sigh and shake his head. "Director Wu, oh, Director Wu... what am I supposed to say? Why on earth would you provoke our Artifact Refining Workshop for no reason? Your City Construction Department has really stirred up a hornet’s nest this time."
Director Wu was on the verge of tears. "Brother Gao, I never wanted to offend the Workshop! It’s my subordinates—they’re ignorant, their brains are full of mud! Brother Gao, for the sake of our friendship of all these years, please, you have to help me put in a good word for them."
"I can’t do that." Gao Jun waved his hands frantically. "Director Wu, forget our seven-year friendship. Even if you were my own father, I couldn’t help you with this. You don’t understand. Your City Construction Department is in serious trouble this time."
"Is it that serious? I heard we only offended Master Xuli. In terms of status, you’re not far below him, are you?" Director Wu asked, his eyes wide with terror.
Gao Jun smiled bitterly. "Offended Master Xuli? Younger Brother Wu, there are no outsiders here, so I’ll be straight with you. You don’t seem to realize that your department’s actions have infuriated even our Grandmaster, Lu Li. My own master, Li Xu, was viciously berated by the Grandmaster over this."
What?
Director Wu’s blood ran cold.
’Even Master Lu Li got involved? This is going to be the death of me!’
"How can that be? I’ve investigated the whole thing. Only Master Xuli was there that day. How could it have reached Master Lu Li?"
Director Wu couldn’t even bear to imagine the consequences. No wonder the Artifact Refining Workshop had acted so ruthlessly. It was because even Master Lu Li was enraged.
"I don’t know the details," Gao Jun said gravely. "But from what I understand, besides Master Xuli, there was a young man on the scene. I believe he’s the key to all this."
"A young man? You mean the one named Xuan Ye, who stood up for the Luo family against Young Master Qin Yu of the Qin family? What’s his connection to the Artifact Refining Workshop?"
Director Wu asked hastily. After learning he had offended the Workshop, he had made sure to get a full report on the incident. So, the moment the ’young man’ was mentioned, he immediately thought of Ye Xuan.
"It seems it must be him." Gao Jun gave a bitter smile. "My friend, let me be honest. The solution to your department’s problem lies with him. I don’t know what his connection to our Artifact Refining Workshop is, but you must have heard about the young man who showed up today, spouting nonsense and badmouthing our Profound Soldiers, right?"
"You mean that was him? That’s impossible," Director Wu said, dumbfounded. He had, of course, heard the rumors about that incident.
"It was him indeed." Gao Jun sighed. "After the Grandmaster called that young man inside, he didn’t emerge for a long time. When he did, the Grandmaster personally escorted him out. Even my own master, Li Xu, was incredibly respectful toward him, addressing him as ’Master.’ And yet, your City Construction Department went and caused trouble for him. That’s what drew Master Xuli’s attention and, in the end, incurred the Grandmaster’s wrath. Do you understand now?"
As Gao Jun explained, it all clicked into place for Director Wu. He finally understood the entire sequence of events.
’So that’s how it is. I’ve actually provoked someone of that caliber.’
Director Wu’s face was a mask of bitterness. He couldn’t even begin to imagine the identity of someone that even Master Li Xu had to address as ’Master.’ And most terrifying of all, the young man was supposedly not even twenty years old.
Director Wu didn’t ask Gao Jun about Ye Xuan’s identity. He knew that Gao Jun probably didn’t know, and even if he did, he wouldn’t reveal it to him.
"Brother Gao, you have to give me some advice," Director Wu pleaded, his face a miserable mask.
Gao Jun sighed. "If you want to earn our Artifact Refining Workshop’s forgiveness, you should certainly approach Master Xuli. But the most important person is Master Xuan Ye. After all, he is the root of this matter. That’s all I can say. I can’t speak on anything else. Farewell."
With that said, Gao Jun didn’t linger. He turned and walked out of the City Construction Department.
The Artifact Refining Workshop was currently furious with the City Construction Department. His visit was already a breach of protocol.
"Brother Gao, take care! Once this is all over, I’ll treat you to a drink!"
After seeing Gao Jun off, Director Wu steeled his resolve. It was clear the key to resolving this crisis lay with that young man.
While the City Construction Department was in a state of panic, the Celestial Dragon Guard was in a similar predicament.
At that very moment, the top commanders of the Celestial Dragon Guard had also gathered for an emergency meeting to discuss a strategy.
"The Celestial Dragon Guard isn’t really at fault in this matter. The blame lies with Shao Jun and his foolish actions."
"Exactly. Shao Jun saw the Qin family and the City Construction Department on one side and took their side without bothering to learn the facts. He didn’t stop to think—do we, the Celestial Dragon Guard, need to curry favor with them?"
"And the worst part is, even after the young man mentioned the Artifact Refining Workshop, Shao Jun remained stubbornly obstinate."
"Hmph, Shao Jun is an idiot. If that young man didn’t have powerful backing, would he dare say such a thing? If the Artifact Refining Workshop found out someone was falsely using their name, would that kid still be alive?"
"Enough. Let’s stop talking about Shao Jun. What matters now is how to solve this problem. If word of our involvement gets back to the Imperial Family, we’ll all be facing punishment."
The commanders were a mess of anger, helplessness, and anxiety.
"I’ve made some inquiries. The key to this matter is that young man. So be it. Tomorrow, I’ll take Shao Jun and pay a visit myself."
"Commander Jia, we’ll be counting on you, then."
"It’s no trouble. Worst case, I’ll just have to swallow my pride. I have some rapport with Master Xuli, so that’s manageable. It’s the young man I’m worried about. I have no idea what to expect. But no matter, I’ll just have to risk it."
After some deliberation, the Celestial Dragon Guard had also settled on a plan.
