Inspection Bureau.
Inside Jiang Ning's residence.
"Brother Ning, you're truly enviable!" A teasing voice came from behind Ruan Hongmei.
Ruan Hongmei turned around and saw Liu Sansheng walking toward Jiang Ning.
"Congratulations on winning the deputy commander position yesterday, Brother Ning. I'm delighted to see you today. May I join your team?" Liu Sansheng asked with a smile.
After a whole day of tossing and turning yesterday, Liu Sansheng had finally made up his mind.
Since his brother-in-law's younger brother had such capabilities, he naturally needed to cling to his coattails.
At this age, with this strength and status, Jiang Ning was destined to soar to great heights in the future.
By clinging to him now, perhaps the Liu family would benefit in the future.
At the same time.
Ruan Hongmei glanced at Liu Sansheng in surprise, then looked at Jiang Ning.
She immediately noticed Jiang Ning's slight frown.
In the next moment.
She understood. "Shut up! How dare you disrespect the sir?"
Liu Sansheng was furious upon hearing this. "Ruan Hongmei, this is not a place for you to act recklessly. Brother Ning and I are related by marriage!"
"You still dare to disrespect the sir?" Ruan Hongmei shouted.
Crack
She immediately drew the long whip from her waist and flicked it, creating a sharp crack in the air.
"According to the rules of the Inspection Bureau, disrespecting a superior is a crime punishable by death!"
At this moment, Ruan Hongmei was still somewhat hesitant.
Because she believed Liu Sansheng's words he might indeed be related to Jiang Ning by marriage.
Jiang Ning said, "No need for now. I already have three captains under my command. If I recruit another, it would be seen as forming a faction."
"Brother Ning, as a deputy commander, having four captains under you is perfectly acceptable! You know my strength"
Crack
Before Liu Sansheng could finish, the sound of the whip cutting through the air rang out sharply.
In the next moment.
Liu Sansheng leaped backward, quickly moving out of Ruan Hongmei's attack range.
Then.
Several more cracks of the whip echoed.
Liu Sansheng kept retreating. "Crazy woman, have you lost your mind?!"
Jiang Ning watched as Liu Sansheng was chased and beaten by Ruan Hongmei, shaking his head slowly.
Liu Sansheng had always carried a sense of superiority, which Jiang Ning disliked.
But Liu Sansheng was also his elder brother's brother-in-law, so Jiang Ning couldn't outright sever ties.
Having Ruan Hongmei handle this was perfect, saving him some trouble.
He then turned and walked back into the inner hall.
Returning to the inner hall, the commotion outside gradually died down.
Jiang Ning continued flipping through the book, which detailed everything about the Inspection Bureau, including the benefits for its members, and so on.
As a deputy commander, his responsibilities were greater, and he needed to know more. At the same time, his authority was also greater, allowing him to exchange contribution points for more martial arts resources.
Thus, the book in his hands was thicker.
[Literacy experience +1]
[Literacy experience +1]
[Literacy experience +1]
[...]
As he continued flipping through the book, the experience points for his literacy skills kept increasing.
In the blink of an eye.
It was noon.
"Sir, it's time for lunch!" Xie Xiaojiu brought some food and wine to the inner hall where Jiang Ning was.
"What's going on?" Jiang Ning put down the book he hadn't finished reading and murmured to himself.
"Yes, sir! It's already noon," Xie Xiaojiu said again.
"Put it down," Jiang Ning said, then asked, "Why are you the one delivering the food?"
He had already closed the book.
Xie Xiaojiu replied, "There are no servants in the Inspection Bureau right now. Since I've joined your team, it's only natural for me to handle such small tasks."
"That's quite troublesome for you," Jiang Ning smiled. "I didn't expect the ninth young lady of the Xie family to be capable of such things."
Xie Xiaojiu said calmly, "It's nothing. Since I was five or six, I've been living with my mother. Before meeting Madam Lin, my treatment in the Xie family was worse than that of a favored servant. I often did such menial tasks to please my father."
Hearing this, Jiang Ning was slightly surprised.
A protagonist's script?
He couldn't help but chuckle inwardly.
Xie Xiaojiu's words made him imagine a protagonist's story.
Born into a large family, bullied since childhood, but with exceptional talent, later encountering a stroke of luck and soaring to greatness.
"Have you eaten?" Jiang Ning sat at the table and asked.
"Not yet. I'll eat after delivering your meal," Xie Xiaojiu said.
"Sit down and eat with me," Jiang Ning gestured.
Xie Xiaojiu immediately pulled out a chair and sat down, seemingly unaware of the concept of politeness.
Jiang Ning glanced at Xie Xiaojiu and smiled.
At that moment.
"Sir Xie, Sir Xie..."
A frantic voice came from outside the residence.
The voice kept calling, but Xie Xiaojiu seemed unmoved.
"Xiao Jiu, could that be for you?" Jiang Ning swallowed a piece of beef and asked.
Hearing this, Xie Xiaojiu was momentarily stunned.
She hesitated, then nodded. "It should be for me. In the Inspection Bureau, I'm the only one with the surname Xie."
After saying this, she wiped her mouth.
"Sir, I'll go out and see who's looking for me and what's going on. After you finish eating, just leave the dishes here. I'll clean up when I return."
With that, Xie Xiaojiu walked out the door.
Jiang Ning didn't mind Xie Xiaojiu's departure.
A moment later.
After finishing lunch, he returned to the desk to continue reading.
[Literacy experience +1]
[Literacy experience +1]
[Literacy experience +1]
[...]
As the prompts kept appearing, he gradually finished flipping through the book.
An hour and a half later.
Jiang Ning closed the last page.
He then closed his eyes to digest the information he had just absorbed.
After a dozen breaths, he opened his eyes.
In his mind, the words he had just read were as clear as if they had been carved into his memory.
"Photographic memory is indeed a great talent," Jiang Ning couldn't help but smile.
[Skill]: Literacy (Second Breakthrough 1983/3000) (Traits: Photographic Memory, Enhanced Senses)
He glanced at his panel, then closed it.
"Strange, why hasn't Xie Xiaojiu returned yet? Did something happen?" Jiang Ning's gaze fell on the dining table, where the remnants of his lunch remained, and a hint of doubt appeared on his brow.
On the other side.
At the entrance of the Inspection Bureau.
"How dare you!" A young man wiped the blood from his neck, his expression turning ugly.
He never expected that as a ninth-rank captain, he would almost lose his life to a mere ninth-rank guard.
With such strength, why hadn't she shown her capabilities yesterday? Why had she remained a lowly guard?
Xie Xiaojiu held her sword coldly. "Release Tong Xiuyun!"
She had just been called out of the Inspection Bureau and, after being informed by someone outside, learned about the incident at the Moonlight Pavilion.
A few years ago, when she had the chance to shine and caught Lin Qingyi's attention, Tong Xiuyun played a significant role, helping her greatly.
Moreover, since she had few friends back then, in her eyes, Tong Xiuyun was both a benefactor and a sister-like figure.
So when she learned that Tong Xiuyun was in trouble, Xie Xiaojiu was extremely anxious.
But when she rushed to the Moonlight Pavilion, she found it empty, with seals plastered all over.
After some inquiries, Xie Xiaojiu learned that Tong Xiuyun had been arrested by a captain of the Inspection Bureau.
From the descriptions of others, Xie Xiaojiu quickly identified the captain in question.
Xiao Tianhe.
For Xie Xiaojiu, this wasn't difficult.
After all, there were only a dozen or so captains in the Inspection Bureau.
With a little investigation, she could easily match the description to the person.
Knowing it was Xiao Tianhe, Xie Xiaojiu didn't waste time on futile efforts.
She returned to the Inspection Bureau and waited at the entrance for Xiao Tianhe to appear.
And now, this scene unfolded.
"Tong Xiuyun?" Xiao Tianhe said. "Who's that? I don't know her."
Xie Xiaojiu said, "The manager of the Moonlight Pavilion."
"Her?" Xiao Tianhe smiled. "She committed a crime, suspected of child trafficking and murder. I arrested her as part of my duty. Do you have a problem with that?"
"Yes!" Xie Xiaojiu said coldly. "Release her, and let's consider this matter closed."
"Consider it closed? Who do you think you are?" Xiao Tianhe laughed. "Don't you know the rules of the Inspection Bureau? Disrespecting a superior is a serious offense!"
As he spoke, Xiao Tianhe waved his hand forward.
Immediately, several people stepped out from the crowd.
These were the Martial Academy students he had recruited yesterday.
As fellow students from Dongling County's Martial Academy, they naturally banded together.
"Arrest her!" Xiao Tianhe ordered.
"Yes!" someone responded, then moved to act.
Ah
Ah
Ah
Xie Xiaojiu immediately took action. Sword light flashed, and blood splattered at the entrance of the Inspection Bureau.
In less than ten breaths, the four who had attacked Xie Xiaojiu were all injured.
And this was with Xie Xiaojiu holding back.
Because she knew that, given her current status, if the conflict remained limited, there was still room for negotiation.
But if she resorted to killing here, she would be in a truly hopeless situation.
Even the Xie family would be powerless against the Inspection Bureau.
As the ninth daughter of the Xie family, she naturally understood the Inspection Bureau better than most.
The more she understood, the more she realized how terrifying the Inspection Bureau was.
Not to mention someone of her strength, even the county magistrate, the most powerful person in Luoshui County, wouldn't dare challenge the Inspection Bureau.
Because the head of the Inspection Bureau was a sixth-rank expert or higher.
Not to mention, beneath the bureau head were the four commanders, all dispatched from higher authorities.
In the face of such power, disrespecting a superior and harming a colleague was a capital offense!
At this moment.
A large crowd had gathered at the entrance of the Inspection Bureau.
Because yesterday was the day of the Inspection Bureau's assessment.
Today was the day for registration, not to mention it was also their duty shift.
So at this moment, the Inspection Bureau was almost fully staffed.
Under such circumstances, a major incident at the entrance naturally drew a curious crowd.
At the same time.
Xiao Tianhe, seeing this scene and how Xie Xiaojiu had effortlessly defeated his four subordinates, wasn't angry but instead smiled.
After his brief exchange with Xie Xiaojiu, he had almost been defeated, so he knew that Xie Xiaojiu's strength was beyond what his subordinates could handle.
Even if all nine of them attacked together, in his eyes, they still wouldn't be able to defeat Xie Xiaojiu.
But the four taking action wasn't meaningless.
Having witnessed Xie Xiaojiu's strength, Xiao Tianhe realized that resolving this conflict through force wouldn't be easy.
In that case, he would use the rules to settle the matter.
Xie Xiaojiu injuring him was a serious offense of disrespecting a superior.
Xie Xiaojiu injuring his four team members was also a major taboo harming colleagues.
With these two offenses combined, no matter how strong Xie Xiaojiu was, she wouldn't have a good outcome.
Rules were important!
When there was no absolute certainty of victory through strength, to avoid losing face, one had to act within the rules.
Thinking this, Xiao Tianhe felt confident.
"Xie Xiaojiu, for harming a colleague, surrender now!!" Xiao Tianhe took a deep breath and then shouted, his powerful voice echoing throughout the Inspection Bureau.
On the other side.
Inside the Inspection Bureau.
After finishing the book, Jiang Ning began practicing the Furnace Elixir Refinement Technique to refine the Leopard Fetus Transformation Body Tempering Pill in his body.
After refining three drops of medicinal liquid, he circulated his energy throughout his body.
While doing so, he precisely tempered the muscle groups that hadn't yet reached their limit.
During this process, Jiang Ning could feel the muscle fibers in his body becoming more resilient and powerful.
At that moment.
"Xie Xiaojiu, for harming a colleague, surrender now!!"
A loud shout from the entrance of the Inspection Bureau reached Jiang Ning's ears.
Hearing this, Jiang Ning opened his eyes, slightly startled.
"Harming a colleague, surrender now? It seems Xie Xiaojiu is in trouble!"
He then stood up. "In that case, I'll go out and see how Xie Xiaojiu 'harmed a colleague.'"
A moment later.
Jiang Ning walked out of the Inspection Bureau's entrance.
He immediately saw a crowd gathered, forming a human wall.
Due to Jiang Ning's height, even behind the wall of people, he could roughly see what was happening inside.
Xie Xiaojiu stood with her sword in front of a young man, and several people around the young man were injured.
This was a conflict between Xie Xiaojiu and the young man.
"Is that... Xiao Tianhe?" Jiang Ning recalled the information about Xiao Tianhe.
He had seen all the captains who competed with him on the stage yesterday, so with a little recollection, he remembered the young man's name.
"Xie Xiaojiu, won't you surrender now?" Xiao Tianhe asked calmly.
Facing this, Xie Xiaojiu tightened her grip on her sword.
"You, as a captain of the Inspection Bureau, are abusing your power and arresting people unjustly!"
"Unjustly?" Xiao Tianhe smiled. "I'm not arresting people unjustly. I have both witnesses and evidence. I will report this to Commander He Jinyun, and he will decide."
"You're colluding with each other!!" Xie Xiaojiu shouted coldly, her brows furrowed.
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