CHAPTER 269: CHAPTER 269: COMBATING WITH GRACE AND POWER

The inspectors of other alleys wouldn’t treat their subordinates so well.

When someone gets injured, crippled, or killed, they are dismissed with at most ten taels or eight taels of silver.

And when there are benefits to reap, it’s divided thirty-to-seventy, with the inspector taking seventy percent!

The ones on top feast to their heart’s content, while those below can only sip at the broth!

But in crucial times, they are the ones who suffer and toil!

But our own Inspector Li...

Strong and with limitless potential, he’s the first to charge into danger, while being so generous, leading everyone to prosperity!

In an instant, everyone felt an uncontrollable surge of emotion.

We’ve drifted through life for half our lives, only regretting not having met a wise master. If the Lord doesn’t mind, we’re willing to acknowledge you as our foster father!

Realizing that everyone’s gaze had shifted from [fear] to [respect], Zhu Haomiao couldn’t help but smile slightly.

Carrots and sticks, the timeless methods of winning people’s hearts.

No subordinate can resist these two things...

If there is one, either your stick isn’t thick enough, or the carrot isn’t sweet enough!

Originally, in Zhu Haomiao’s plan, today was just about establishing authority, and he would spend one or two months slowly winning hearts and gradually bringing the Anti-theft Bureau into his control.

But unexpectedly, three "knights" attempted a jailbreak, allowing him to fulfill the conditions of demonstrating both kindness and power in a single day.

Thinking of this, the young man appeared contemplative and seized the moment to speak solemnly.

"Prepare the martyrdom documents for the three fallen brothers, I’ll go to the General Office to ask for a [Heroic] posthumous honor for them."

At these words, everyone present was shocked, and all the burly men had a glimmer of tears in their eyes.

Some constables even recalled some sad memories and couldn’t help but secretly wipe away their tears.

On one side, Yan Yunsheng looked deeply at the young man, knowing full well that there was an element of winning hearts, yet he couldn’t resist feeling a touch of a soldier’s loyalty unto death for a leader who understands them.

He had climbed up from the bottom and understood how arduous it was for these lowest-level constables.

Many times, the lords above didn’t even see them as human beings, merely as a consumable resource.

They not only lived on the edge of a knife, with no certainty of living through the day, but if they were injured or killed, their families left behind lived in utter misery.

Sometimes widows even had to sell themselves to make a living!

Once honored as [Heroic], their families would be exempt from taxes and labor, and would also receive a monthly pension.

Though not abundant, it’s enough to ensure their families do not worry about basic necessities, getting through the hardest of days.

Seeing the gallant young man, Yan Yunsheng sighed lightly with a mix of comfort and regret, completely convinced.

With just this one move, he erased the worries of those below, and should anything else happen, who wouldn’t lay down their lives for him?

Yan Yunsheng himself had no way to secure such benefits for his subordinates, he wasn’t qualified...

It’s good to have a title...

Yan Yunsheng sighed inwardly, willingly placing himself in a subordinate’s position, completely bowing his head.

On the other side, Zhu Haomiao looked around, noticing the eyes of everyone transitioning from [respect] to [reverence] as they looked at him, and couldn’t help but nod discreetly.

Riding on the momentum of this fervor, if he gave a command now, even if there were a mountain of knives or a sea of flames ahead, these people would probably not blink an eye.

With a subtle smile, Zhu Haomiao clapped his hands.

"Alright, everyone, get back to work, Yan Doutou, come with me, let’s go check on ’Fourth Brother’..."

Those three fools broke in to raid the prison in broad daylight, so naturally, Zhu Haomiao had to see the instigator of all this.

And test out his newly understood moves...

"Yes!"

Yan Yunsheng followed respectfully behind the young man, all the way to the prison.

Unlike the still noisy ruffians above ground, the serious criminals below clearly sensed the lingering murderous aura from the young man and no longer cast fierce glances at him, instead they looked at him with deep dread.

He casually made his way to the deepest part of the underground prison, where a handsome anxious young man appeared before Zhu Haomiao.

"Inspector, this is [Overlord Blade·Huo Hong]."

Upon hearing Yan Yunsheng’s introduction, Zhu Haomiao examined him with interest.

I must say, this guy has an excellent appearance, even in the dark and damp underground prison, and even when his injuries had not fully healed, leaving him pale, it couldn’t hide his charming handsomeness.

No wonder those three foolish siblings risked everything to rescue him...

Thinking of this, Zhu Haomiao curiously looked at Yan Yunsheng.

"Yan Doutou, this guy’s called [Overlord Blade], you’re also masterful in blade skill, so which one of you is more skilled?"

At this, Yan Yunsheng couldn’t help but puff out his chest, displaying an unruly demeanor.

"I was the one who captured him!"

"Oh~"

Zhu Haomiao chuckled meaningfully, immediately understanding what kind of material this guy was made of.

If he can’t even beat Yan Yunsheng, how dare he call himself [Overlord Blade]?

You Jianghu people really don’t follow any basic rules when giving nicknames!

Seeming to have guessed the young man’s thoughts, Yan Yunsheng cautiously explained.

"These Jianghu people don’t pay any attention to the names they give themselves, they just go for the most imposing ones. Every year there are countless grudge killings due to these empty titles, and this Huo Hong wiped out an entire family just because someone else was also called [Overlord Blade]."

Zhu Haomiao: "..."

Looking at the young man with indescribable feelings, Zhu Haomiao faintly felt that something was off about this world.

Just because someone took your nickname, you want to wipe out their whole family?

What about the countless Xialong Street Yanzu, Xialong District Yifei in my past life?

Wouldn’t Yifei and Yanzu have gone mad killing?!

On another side, Overlord Blade Huo Hong listened to the pair’s dialogue, his face twisted with anguish, and after a long internal struggle, he couldn’t help but ask.

"I heard Second Brother’s voice; he was calling out to Third Sister, what did you do to them?!"

From that frenzied scream just now, he had a faint premonition.

"Killed them."

"What?!!"

Grabbing the steel bars intensely, Huo Hong fixed his stare on Zhu Haomiao with bloodshot eyes.

"What did you say?!!"

Looking at him oddly, not understanding why this murderous maniac was so agitated, Zhu Haomiao calmly repeated.

"Killed them all, chopped off all three of their heads."

Watching the young man talk so casually, as if discussing the slaughter of three chickens, blood gradually spread in Huo Hong’s eyes as he stared viciously at him.

Seeing this, Zhu Haomiao found it even more strange.

"What, you wipe out entire families at the slightest provocation, and I’m the bad guy here for simply defending myself and killing three jailbreakers?"

As he spoke, the young man lifted his arm, and a semi-transparent, veiled serpent’s head phantom coalesced on his palm.

"The guilty must face punishment."

A cold, cruel gleam swept through the depths of his pupils as Zhu Haomiao waved, and a serpent-shaped phantom, too elusive for others to see, darted out like a living creature, baring its fangs as it plunged into Huo Hong’s chest.

A piercing pain shot into his brain, and Huo Hong staggered back three steps, clutching his chest and emitting a heart-wrenching scream.