CHAPTER 596: CHAPTER 366, FIRE!

Monitoring Bureau.

Two groups of people stood opposite each other, in a tense standoff.

The ones wearing deep gray military uniforms with a flaming pattern over the chest were members of the Flame-Bathed Legion, one of the Empire’s three great legions. These were the Personal Guard of Qin Jianyi.

Blocking their way were those in black sword-and-sabre uniforms covered with black cloaks, the Security Department of the Monitoring Bureau, commonly referred to as "black dog skins."

Director Zhao Zhenji, holding his hat, strode outside, cursing under his breath, "Motherfucker, I’ve worked at the Monitoring Bureau for most of my life, and this is the first time I’ve seen someone surround our place."

"These fools really have no idea how vast the heavens and the earth are. If we don’t take them all down today, they won’t know how many eyes Lord Ma has."

"Director, it’s the Flame-Bathed Legion... Qin Jianyi’s Personal Guard," Deputy Director Wei Jun reminded softly.

"I don’t care what legion they are, nor do I care whose personal guard they are... Anyone who dares to storm the gates of our Monitoring Bureau has to step over my dead body. I won’t lie down, and they won’t get through the door," Zhao Zhenji said fiercely.

Wei Jun sneered inwardly. Just now, he talked about taking people down, but as soon as he found out these were Qin Jianyi’s Personal Guard, he immediately changed his tune.

If someone wanted to forcibly storm the gates of the Monitoring Bureau, they had to go over his dead body.

But what if they surrounded without any intention to breach? Did that mean they were unrelated to the Security Department?

Of course, he could understand Zhao Zhenji’s perspective.

The Flame-Bathed Legion was one of the Empire’s formidable forces, and Qin Jianyi, with the backing of the vast Qin Family, had limitless prospects as a young and talented legion commander...

Why should a civil servant earning a meager salary wade into these murky waters?

Do well, and it’s simply your duty.

Do poorly, and it’s doom and gloom.

Who would want to make enemies of the nine major families?

Zhao Zhenji reached the front of the crowd, scanned the surroundings, and asked in an icy voice, "Who’s leading this?"

"No one is leading," Wang Chao replied. "This is a spontaneous act by everyone."

Zhao Zhenji’s gaze then shifted to Wang Chao’s face, and he said, "So, you’re the leader?"

"As I said, no one is leading. This is a voluntary action by everyone," Wang Chao denied.

The first to stick their neck out gets shot. If he admitted to being the leader, they might take him away...

And later, when it was time to assign blame, it would be all the more severe.

The law doesn’t punish the masses. Only by pulling everyone together on the same side could he protect himself and everyone present.

"Do you know what you’re doing?" Zhao Zhenji shouted angrily.

"We know," Chen Ping knew Wang Chao’s temperament. Letting him stand in the front easily made things rigid, escalating the conflict.

After all, their desire was to ensure the General’s safety, to welcome the General home.

Not to surround the Monitoring Bureau and engage in violent conflicts.

Chen Ping looked at Zhao Zhenji and asked, "May I know how to address the leader?"

"I am Zhao Zhenji, Director of the Security Department of the Monitoring Bureau."

"Director Zhao, hello. We are soldiers from the Dragon Blood Mechanic Team of the Flame-Bathed Legion, and General Qin Jianyi is our commander."

"Our commander General Qin Jianyi has been taken by the Monitoring Bureau, and all of us in the team are very worried and eager. So, we were entrusted to come to the Monitoring Bureau to check and gather some information about whether our commander is safe and when he can return."

Chen Ping explained with a mild tone and neither humility nor arrogance in his voice.

Zhao Zhenji pointed at the nearly hundred Personal Guard members beside Chen Ping and scoffed, "Is this how you come to gather information? By bringing people to surround the Monitoring Bureau?"

"Please discern clearly, Director Zhao. We have no intention of besieging the Monitoring Bureau, and we would never do something that disrespects the law," Chen Ping said. "It’s just that the General has been away from the team for too long, and the Personal Guard members are excessively anxious..."

"Moreover, each member of the Personal Guard has the duty to protect the General. With the General here, we stand. Without the General, our existence has no meaning. That’s why the brothers all came together."

"Heh..." Zhao Zhenji was amused and angered by Chen Ping’s explanation and said, "It’s the first time in history our Monitoring Bureau has been surrounded."

"You are concerned about General Qin’s safety and want to understand his condition. You could have called the relevant departments for information or asked the case handlers direct questions... Instead, you chose the most extreme method."

"Your presence here is severely disrupting the normal operation of the Monitoring Bureau and undermining the dignity of the law enforcement authority. I give you three minutes to disperse immediately, otherwise, you will bear the consequences."

"We’re not leaving," Wang Chao shouted back. "Unless you release the General, we’re not going anywhere."

Zhao Zhenji’s face darkened as he shouted, "What? Are you threatening us?"

"It’s not a threat. It’s our plea," Wang Chao said. "I heard that you want to harm our General... If you don’t release him, we’ll stay right here."

"Wang Chao..." Chen Ping chided.

Sure enough, the hot-headed guy was "showing his true colors."

He originally didn’t want to come, but he knew that if he didn’t, the situation might get even worse.

"Captain, since we’re here, we need a resolution," Wang Chao said. "What kind of bullshit are they talking? They tell us to consult the relevant departments, didn’t we already ask around? They told us to wait."