"Chaos is exactly what these aristocratic families deserve. When you throw a stone at dogs, the one that barks the loudest is usually the one that got hit."

"If they're in the wrong first, if they dare to lead any trouble..."

A killing intent slowly surfaced in Lu Ding's eyes: "Killing one is killing, killing a group is also killing."

Zhan Tingzhou was ultimately limited by his cognitive constraints, overcomplicating the problem.

The most sophisticated management methods often employ simple and direct approaches.

Doubts continued to swirl in Zhan Tingzhou's heart.

Acting like this...

Wasn't he afraid of being reported?

He needed to remember, in his previous life, even Bai Hemeian and Huangfu Lingyun didn't dare to kill so simply and directly.

Lu Ding...

Was he really a 749 Bureau investigator?

Even someone like him, who had slaughtered countless enemies in his past life, felt that Lu Ding was excessively simple and brutal.

Zhan Tingzhou was momentarily speechless.

As the vehicle drove into Xiankong Town, the situation inside grew increasingly dire.

It gave off a deathly still feeling.

As if this town was nearing its end.

The business car carrying Lu Ding drove straight down the middle of the street, its destination being the Xiankong Town 749 Bureau office.

Afterwards, the Reshaper would be placed there to cover the entire town, ensuring that when the mission began, the terrain could be stabilized immediately, preventing large-scale collapses.

And at this moment.

Inside the Xiankong Town 749 Bureau office.

In the interrogation room.

Piercing, miserable screams echoed from within.

Zhong Fang, the director of Xiankong Town 749 Bureau, strode over, kicked open the interrogation room door, and saw the scene inside.

In the corner, several Qi Refiners were firmly pinning down a middle-aged man covered in injuries.

On the interrogation table.

A young man with a crazed expression and slicked-back hair was tearing at a woman's clothes.

The earlier screams had come from the woman.

The young man was named Zhao Shaolin, the most beloved youngest son of the Zhao family patriarch of Linshan Mining. His mother was the own younger sister of the Yu Family head from White Ridge.

That very Yu Xiao who killed his own son to show loyalty to Lu Ding.

Zhao Shaolin could be considered someone who gained status through his mother's influence.

Just from his name containing "lin" (scale), one could see how much the Zhao family patriarch doted on him.

No, it should be called spoiling.

If the young ladies and masters that Lu Ding previously dealt with were beasts,

Then this Zhao Shaolin was worse than a beast.

Right in front of her husband... he didn't even avoid people.

Zhao Shaolin, busy with his activities, looked up at Zhong Fang, pulling a somewhat sinister smile on his face: "Director Zhong, you're interested too?"

"Then I'm afraid you'll have to wait a bit. I, Zhao Shaolin, don't have the habit of letting others clean up after me."

Zhong Fang's face darkened: "Who the hell is interested!?"

"Zhao Shaolin, you've gone too far today!!!"

Zhong Fang shouted, raising his volume.

He knew about the special envoy recently arriving in White Ridge, and he also knew what Lu Ding had done in White Ridge.

He was terrified inside.

In the past, Zhong Fang had never personally led patrol teams.

These past few days, he led teams every day, rising earlier than roosters and sleeping later than dogs, precisely because he feared making any mistake and becoming an example caught by Lu Ding.

But then.

Today, while patrolling outside,

The investigators left at the office called, saying Zhao Shaolin had come to the office again to cause trouble.

Remembering this was a special period, Zhong Fang didn't dare delay at all, practically running and flying back to the office.

And then he encountered this scene.

Pointing his finger at Zhao Shaolin's nose: "Whenever else you cause trouble, I can turn a blind eye!!!"

"But not during this period!!"

"Do you know what's been happening recently?"

Before Zhao Shaolin could answer, Zhong Fang couldn't help but answer his own question: "Hanjing sent a special envoy down, and he's in White Ridge right now!!"

"You're giving me trouble right now, do you want me dead!?"

"If you don't want to live, you can go find a place to die yourself, don't fucking drag me down with you!!"

Zhao Shaolin adjusted his collar, stepping back and off the sand quarry owner's wife.

He slapped the woman's buttocks.

SMACK!!!

The woman, who had just been screaming like a slaughtered pig, pouted, sat up displaying her perfect curves while pulling her clothes to cover the snowy white of her chest.

She looked completely different from her earlier miserable state.

This scene stunned Zhong Fang, and also stunned the man who had been struggling in the corner.

"You..."

The woman turned to look at her husband: "What 'you'? Did you actually believe I was acting for real?"

"Slut!!!!"

The man roared furiously.

He had realized—so his wife had long been involved with Zhao Shaolin, and that earlier act was just Zhao Shaolin's twisted amusement.

Disgust flashed in the woman's eyes. She wanted to say something, but was afraid her loose tongue might displease Zhao Shaolin.

She could only first cast a glance toward Zhao Shaolin.

After receiving the young man's permission,

The woman said: "You're the slut. I married you for wealth, you married me for looks—an old ox eating tender grass, your daughter is even older than me, and you still thought we could have true love?"

As she spoke, the woman walked over to Zhao Shaolin, holding his arm and said: "Young Master Zhao is handsome and rich. With a better choice available, of course I would choose him."

Zhao Shailin wrapped an arm around the woman's waist, saying to Zhong Fang: "Director Zhong, you see, I'm not causing you any trouble. This is consensual. As for me and Boss Xiong, that's an economic dispute."

Saying this, he turned his head, his gaze sweeping over the man in the corner, smiling: "Your wife... is really smooth. A pity she married you."

The hand around the woman's waist gave a firm squeeze of her softness: "Today it's your wife. If you don't recognize the current situation, tomorrow it'll be your daughter."

The man slumped despondently to the floor.

He was originally the owner of a sand quarry in Xiankong Town. Some time ago, the quarry dug up blue steel sand—this was good stuff. The man, being somewhat clever, knew he couldn't handle this thing himself.

He wanted to sell it to Linshan Mining at a no-loss price;

he wasn't even asking to make a profit, just not to lose money.

The person from Linshan Mining responsible for the deal saw this and thought, this guy is quite sensible, and blue steel sand is good stuff too.

His eyes shifted—this project, with no difficulty and high profit, should of course be given to Young Master Zhao Shaolin, letting him show off well in front of the boss.

Then, this project was handed over to Zhao Shaolin, and along with it, the public funds were also transferred to Zhao Shaolin.

Originally, he just needed to go through the motions, make an appearance, finally sign the contract, give the money, and then personally submit it to the Zhao family head, Zhao Feng, to show his performance.

But, Zhao Shaolin took the money gambling, and lost.

He didn't want this to get out, especially since his mother had just paid off his gambling debts not long ago.

If he asked for money again now, he'd definitely get scolded.

After thinking it over, Zhao Shaolin decided to make this sand quarry owner foot the bill for him.

Simply put: I want the blue steel sand, but I can't give you this money. Listen clearly—it's not that I owe you for now, it's that I'm not giving it to you.

Consider it your tribute to me.

Any blue steel sand dug up after this will follow the contract;

don't worry, money will be paid for that later.

The sand quarry owner certainly wouldn't agree.

He even wanted to go ask Linshan Mining, but asking would expose everything, wouldn't it?

Zhao Shaolin definitely wasn't willing, so he captured this sand quarry owner and his wife.

"Still want to report me? Don't even think about going to my family to report me;

even going to 749 won't help you."

Then, to prove the truth of his words, Zhao Shaolin brought them to the Xiankong Town 749 Bureau office.

Hence the scene unfolding now.

After the sand quarry owner thought of all this, he slowly raised his head, his eyes full of fury looking at the woman in Zhao Shaolin's embrace.

This slut!!

No wonder—he clearly hadn't revealed his intention to go to Linshan Mining in front of Zhao Shaolin back then, so how did Zhao Shaolin know?

Now he understood!

So it was all his wife who told him!

Now not only was he in trouble, but his daughter was also being threatened, and this woman was cuckolding him!!!

Seeing the man's expression, Zhao Shaolin immediately walked over holding the woman and said: "I like that look in your eyes. With anger comes demands, with demands there's room for negotiation."

"Actually, I'm not very interested in your daughter. Your sand quarry is such a big place, and I'm not good at management, can't handle it."

"How about this."

Zhao Shaolin, holding the woman, squatted down, and with his other hand, grabbed the woman's throat.

He spoke with a skin-deep smile: "Consider this blue steel sand matter as your tribute to me. I've had a bit of bad luck this time, I promise, just this once, just accept it."

"Or you can consider it my reward for helping you discover this slut's true nature. You continue running the sand quarry from now on, we'll have harmony and prosperity, and I'll watch your back. How does that sound?"