"What else do you think I would do this for?" Shu Yi also felt something was off; Li Yang's words today were rather strange.
"You didn't do it?" Li Yang asked in a deep voice. Was Shu Yi putting on an act? Or was he trying to get back at him and oppose him to the very end?
"Then you need to explain clearly what exactly happened," Shu Yi said, puzzled.
"You should know very well what I do in Jiangnan City, right?" Li Yang said somewhat unhappily. Okay, you're playing dumb with me? Well, we'll see.
“We are well aware of this. However, we will not interfere in your affairs,” Shu Yi said.
"Won't interfere? That's strange. Aren't you guys cracking down on organized crime? Am I not part of that?" Li Yang said with amusement. Could there really be such a good thing? Was he really that awesome?
"Your situation is a bit special, and you might feel proud to say it. But the truth is, you're involved in too many things, so it's inconvenient for us to take action. You understand?" Shu Yi didn't beat around the bush and spoke the truth.
"You speak directly, which is more pleasant to hear. So I'll be frank then. Did one of you deliberately sabotage my plans? Did one of you sabotage my scheme to make Chicken Head and Long Snake fight each other, causing Long Snake and Chicken Head to stop fighting now, thus rendering my plan a failure?" Li Yang stopped probing and spoke the truth.
Chapter 869: Deputy Division Chief
"Is that so? I really didn't know. Although we're also in Jiangnan City, we're busy with other things and have no intention of interfering in what you're doing. In any case, if you were to unify the underworld in Jiangnan City, it would benefit us to some extent. We have no reason to target you," Shu Yi explained to Li Yang, somewhat surprised.
"If it wasn't you, could it be someone else?" Li Yang meant that Fan Xian and Wang Gui were possibilities.
“Director Wang is impossible. I know her character. She’s fiery, hates evil, and speaks her mind. She wouldn’t resort to any underhanded tricks. I’m certain of that.” Shu Yi immediately defended Wang Gui, showing that Wang Gui held a very important place in his heart.
“If it’s not her, then it must be someone else,” Li Yang pressed.
"I can't speak for others, but I don't think Director Zhou would do something like that. I can't guarantee anything about the others!" Shu Yi said softly. He knew about the feud between Li Yang and Fan Xian. Shu Yi had some objections to this rich kid joining the family, but the Fan family was powerful and influential with a deep background. Even Director Zhou and Director Wang couldn't do anything about it, so what could a peasant boy like him do?
"Where are you?" Li Yang asked.
"What are you going to do?" Shu Yi asked warily.
"I want to confront him face to face and see what he really wants," Li Yang said with a cold snort.
"I think it's better not to meet him. By the way, what do you think of Director Wang's suggestion?" Shu Yi suddenly changed the subject and brought up Wang Gui's suggestion, which was to have Li Yang join the National Security Bureau.
The Dragon Group is a newly established secret organization specifically targeting mysterious individuals, those with extraordinary abilities, especially cultivators and demons. It was only because of recent unusual activity by individuals with supernatural abilities in Japan and the United States that domestic cultivation sects sensed something amiss – the powerful demon that had been suppressed for nearly a thousand years was stirring. They immediately dispatched their elite disciples to the mortal world, thus leading to the formation of the Dragon Group.
However, the Dragon Group was established with the support of several high-ranking generals, and almost immediately it completely overwhelmed the National Security Bureau. Previously, those mysterious incidents were handled by the National Security Bureau. While their abilities are impressive to ordinary people, they pale in comparison to the Dragon Group.
They all felt the pressure, so...
Li Yang, with his vast knowledge and status as a cultivator, was highly sought after; they desperately needed such talent. Zhou Tong's other ulterior motive in asking the Dragon Group to deal with Li Yang was to sow discord between the Dragon Group and Li Yang. That way, Li Yang wouldn't join the Dragon Group, and because of this enmity, he would definitely seek protection from state agencies to escape their entanglement and pressure. The National Security Bureau was undoubtedly his best choice.
The depth of these individuals' thoughts was astonishing. However, what frustrated Zhou Tong was why the usually arrogant Dragon Group hadn't made a move yet. Shu Yi was also aware of this situation and was determined to resolve the predicament for the National Security Bureau and Wang Gui, so he tried every opportunity to recruit Li Yang into the National Security Bureau.
"Are you threatening me?" Li Yang immediately understood the meaning behind Shu Yi's words: if you join, I will tell you; if you don't join, sorry, you have no right to know our location.
"I didn't mean that. You know, it's just a deal. Besides, if you join the National Security Bureau, we'll be on the same side, and it'll be perfectly legitimate for me to help you, right? If you don't join, telling you our positions would be like betraying my colleagues, which is despicable. What do you think is the right thing for me to do?" Shu Yi was quite the smooth talker, leaving Li Yang speechless.
Li Yang pondered for a moment. Joining the National Security Bureau wasn't really a bad thing. Although he'd occasionally have to carry out missions, the biggest advantage was the protective umbrella it provided. If he hadn't gotten involved with his master and his international Hongmen...
As for Ye Qing and others, they probably thought that their large organization in China was essentially a criminal gang and would have been destroyed long ago.
This crackdown won't be enough to get through. If I join, although my own Bagua Sect will have to help the National Security Bureau to some extent, essentially becoming their subordinates, we'll all be essentially recruited and given a legal identity—that's the best course of action. Besides, the National Security Bureau is a special department with a license to kill. If I occasionally can't resist killing someone, I can report it and avoid legal punishment—that would be fantastic.
"Then let's meet. I'll talk to your director." Li Yang felt it was time to join the National Security Bureau. There was no need to keep up the pretense; it was rather pointless. After all, he needed such a protective umbrella now.
"Really? Okay, come to XXXX, and I'll immediately inform the section chief and the bureau chief!" Shu Yi seemed very excited, clearly really looking forward to Li Yang. Li Yang was also secretly pleased and a little smug.
Without hesitation, Li Yang drove there. When he arrived, he saw Shu Yi waiting at the door, so he got out of the car and went over.
"I'm so sorry to have made you wait for me," Li Yang said with a smile.
"You're wrong. It wasn't me waiting for you personally. It was the director and the section chief who came to greet you." Shu Yi chuckled, stepped aside, and immediately walked out from behind him: the distinguished Zhou Tong, the cold-faced Wang Gui, and the relaxed Fan Xian.
Li Yang sneered, "You little bastard, you're quite the actor." Almost the instant Li Yang saw Fan Xian, he used his ability to see through his mind to understand him. It was this despicable Fan Xian who sabotaged his plan to sow discord. However, the fact that he could act as if nothing had happened showed his considerable mental fortitude, his skill in putting on airs, and his deep cunning.
"Li Yang, on behalf of all 156 colleagues in the National Security Bureau, I welcome you to join us!" Zhou Tong smiled warmly and shook Li Yang's hand.
"Thank you so much, Director Zhou, for your kind words. I feel extremely honored to join the National Security Bureau. Thank you for giving me this opportunity to serve the country. I will definitely strive to abide by all rules and regulations and do my best in every task I am assigned." Li Yang shook Zhou Tong's hand, spouting a bunch of high-sounding nonsense that made Fan Xian feel incredibly annoyed. He cursed Li Yang inwardly, thinking that anyone who believed him was a fool.
"Hahaha... With your joining, the strength of our National Security Bureau has immediately risen to a new level. Don't worry, your formalities will be completed soon, and your rank will be deputy section chief, how about that? We'll promote you further after you make some contributions. What do you say?" Zhou Tong was really going all out. Wang Gui had made so many contributions to the army, yet he was only a section-level cadre. Li Yang, on the other hand, had already reached this rank just by joining. It's true that comparisons are odious. You could tell just by looking at Fan Xian's envious and disgruntled eyes. However, it must be admitted that Li Yang's joining wasn't just due to his own exceptional strength, but also because he had the Bagua Sect and the World Hongmen behind him. Even if he didn't know any martial arts, with these two identities, giving him the rank of section chief wasn't unreasonable at all.
Chapter 870: Undercurrents
Li Yang stopped putting on airs and acting superior because he noticed Wang Gui's brows were furrowed. He'd arrived at the deputy director level, just one step away from her director position, a position she could easily challenge. She was definitely unhappy. However, her displeasure paled in comparison to Fan Xian's. The barely suppressed jealousy in Fan Xian nearly burned away his self-proclaimed intelligence, a testament to his displeasure.
"Director Zhou, you're too kind. I'm just an ordinary citizen of this country, with no qualifications or background. It's truly an honor that you think so highly of me," Li Yang said with a chuckle, holding Zhou Tong's hand tightly.
"Showing off~ Even pigs would laugh if you didn't have a powerful background." Fan Xian finally couldn't help but speak sarcastically.
"It seems this brother is quite unhappy about my joining us~" Li Yang looked at Fan Xian with a smile, not angry at all.
Zhou Tong frowned slightly, his tone somewhat reprimanding as he said, "Fan Xian, as a colleague, you must genuinely accept him. Those of us in this line of work constantly face life-or-death situations. If you can't treat your colleagues as your most reliable and trustworthy partners, your life could be lost at any moment."
These words were rather harsh, even carrying a subtle threat and warning. Shu Yi already harbored some dissatisfaction with Fan Xian, and his tactless interruption only fueled her displeasure. While Wang Gui secretly resented Li Yang, that was a personal grudge and shouldn't be brought up publicly. She was a person who clearly distinguished between public and private matters; although she disliked Li Yang, she still admired his abilities. She was also somewhat annoyed by Fan Xian's lack of tact. However, after hearing Zhou Tong's reprimand, neither of them spoke again. After all, Zhou Tong was the bureau chief, and his words carried considerable weight.
Fan Xian's expression changed slightly, and he said in a panic, "Director Zhou, I know I was wrong. I won't do it again!"
"To err is human, to forgive divine. If you do things properly, no one will do anything to you." Zhou Tong was reassuring him, and also reminding Li Yang not to easily mess with Fan Xian; this guy wasn't so easy to bully. Even though he was unhappy, he still wanted to protect him. This shows Fan Xian's background.
Li Yang understood Zhou Tong's meaning but didn't care. As long as that scoundrel Fan Xian stopped interfering with his plans, he could leave him alone for the time being. However, that didn't mean he wouldn't touch him in the future.
“Director Zhou is right. Colleagues should care for and support each other, never abandoning or giving up on one another. This is especially true for our line of work,” Li Yang nodded and said.
"Hmm. It seems you're well-suited for this line of work. Come on, let's go inside and get started. I've already ordered a banquet; consider this your welcome party~" Director Zhou took Li Yang's arm and led him into the hotel in a very friendly manner.
"A five-star hotel! Director Zhou, you're too kind!" Li Yang had just seen it; it was a very famous five-star hotel in Jiangnan City, a place of high-end luxury.