Chapter 1788 - 1773: The Retaliation Begins

Inside the Qingzhou Western Patrol Office, West Patrol Xio Qiangu was examining a newly received joint document from the Heavenly Patrol Department and the Military Department. The more he read, the uglier his face became.

"Hmph, just a mere offset of merits and demerits, a year’s salary penalty?" Xio Qiangu licked his lips, "Such a big issue, and it just passes like this. That Old Emperor really does protect Ye Zhen."

Speaking, West Patrol Xio Qiangu tore the document into pieces!

"Indeed, it seems the Old Emperor is determined to deal with us West Patrol...."

Wei Gang responded with a nod, and then his expression shifted, saying, "Sir, this matter, as it stands, can only go this far—it’s a great setback.

However, shouldn’t we guard against revenge from Ye Zhen? Based on Ye Zhen’s past conduct, this guy won’t take things lying down."

"Revenge? Ye Zhen’s revenge?" Xio Qiangu looked at Wei Gang.

"Yes, sir. Actually, this time the Demon Clan’s army’s fully organized invasion, the targeted purpose was so clear, anyone with even a little insight on Ye Zhen’s side would associate it with you.

But it’s just association, without any evidence.

However, lack of evidence doesn’t mean they won’t retaliate against us." Wei Gang said.

Xio Qiangu nodded, "That’s possible, but what would Ye Zhen use to retaliate against me?"

With a cold laugh, Xio Qiangu stopped Wei Gang from giving further advice, "As you said, we cannot afford to be careless about this matter."

"Issue orders for all the Wind Patrol Envoys and government offices to strengthen vigilance, and also dispatch personnel to monitor the movements of various experts in North Sea County.

Especially any collective movement of Martial Artists, it must be thoroughly investigated and reported!"

"Understood!"

....

As stated in the documents received by the West Patrol Office, the Demon Clan’s army organized a massive invasion; even if, on paper, Ye Zhen ended this invading force completely.

It still caused severe consequences.

The tragic deaths of over twenty thousand civilians, the widespread panic among the populace—this isn’t something that can just pass.

Luoyi’s impeachment reports against Ye Zhen for dereliction of duty flooded in like snowflakes.

However, this time, Ren Venerate Emperor Ji Long’s tough measures were showcased.

First, the Military Department backed Ye Zhen with military merit, then they attributed the cause of the Demon Clan’s organized invasion to the lax defense of the Human-Demon Battlefield troops.

Later, to set an example, he commanded the Heavenly Patrol Department and the Secret Overseer to investigate the Imperial Censors in the Imperial Censorate who were most outspoken.

These Imperial Censors might have clean records, or perhaps they’ve been cleaned up thoroughly.

Yet, once you start digging into their families or relatives, violations and misconduct can often be found.

Or, using promotions to make silent demotions, Ren Venerate Emperor Ji Long was very adept at playing this game.

In short, after a six to seven-day verbal battle in Luoyi’s court, the matter ended with Ye Zhen’s offset of merits and demerits and a year’s salary penalty.

After all, those mid to lower-level Imperial Censors couldn’t hold on long against the Heavenly Patrol Department’s frenetic counterattack like a mad dog.

When the reprimanding Imperial Decree reached North Sea County, neither Ye Zhen nor anyone else took it too seriously.

The truth of the matter lies there, except no one can uncover it.

What the people of North Sea County are especially looking forward to, especially Ye Zhen’s loyalists, is the revenge Ye Zhen spoke of before.

Revenge against the West Patrol.

Whether it was the brothers assassinated due to this event within the Second Route Wind Patrol Envoy, or the near catastrophic extermination they faced,

Or the anger over the four towns obliterated into ruins, causing the horrific sight of ten miles worth of spirit tents.

This was done by the army invading from the Demon Clan, but the invasion was orchestrated by Xio Qiangu of West Patrol.

The Demon Clan and the Human Clan have been opposing each other for a hundred thousand years, just like the Demon Beasts and the Human Clan before, Demon Beasts eating humans, Humans hunting Demon Beasts for meat and refining pills and cultivation.

Such opposition between both sides is natural, a racial, instinctual opposition.

But Xio Qiangu of West Patrol who facilitated this, human himself, slaughtered civilians for some unspeakable purposes.

Emotionally speaking, Ye Zhen’s side of the people resents West Patrol Xio Qiangu more than they hate the Demon Clan.

As a result, everyone eagerly awaited their leader’s plan for revenge, gearing up to avenge against West Patrol Xio Qiangu.

Yet several days passed, and Ye Zhen didn’t mobilize anyone.

Ye Zhen only had them do one thing.

Which was to continue strengthening the Second Route Wind Patrol Envoy’s post.

In areas governed, each state, county, and town must increase Hidden Guards, strengthen their stealthiness, and also increase Wind Scouts.

Wind Scouts, as the name suggests, are scouts who flow like the wind, very mobile and stealthy, but due to cost and manpower reasons, Wind Scouts usually are only assigned to cities and not much in towns.

But this event served as a wake-up call to the Second Route Wind Patrol Envoy.

If, after the first town was attacked by the Demon Clan, the Second Route Wind Patrol Envoy’s Hidden Guard could send back an alert,

The subsequent tragic scenario could have been largely avoided, and the Second Route Wind Patrol Envoy could notify the State Office and Border Army to dispatch forces for sieges promptly.

Regardless of the outcomes, it wouldn’t have been as passive as a few days prior.

Almost leading to the entire mid to high-level of Second Route Wind Patrol Envoy being collectively subjected to martial law.

Of course, strengthening Wind Scouts will tighten the Second Route Wind Patrol Envoy’s finances.

But Ye Zhen doesn’t mind; no one’s salary or benefits at the Second Route Wind Patrol Envoy will be cut, the funding for added manpower, privately covered by Ye Zhen as the Lord.

It’s not that Ye Zhen is spending Spirit Stones frivolously, but in Ye Zhen’s plan, this increased expenditure will ultimately be paid by Xio Qiangu.

The second thing Ye Zhen did was to secretly contact the Chief of Inner Affairs Bureau Ma Yuanjin of West Patrol, questioning him why such important matters didn’t he warn him.

If Ma Yuanjin as a pawn is useless or not dedicated, Ye Zhen wouldn’t hesitate to make him disappear from the world immediately.

However, Ma Yuanjin cried foul grievances.

In this matter, not even he, the Chief of Inner Affairs Bureau at West Patrol, nor the Left Assistant Chii Jingshan of West Patrol was aware of it.

It was all orchestrated by the Right Assistant Wei Gang of West Patrol.

When they were informed, they only knew about the Demon Clan’s army organized invasion but didn’t know the actual details.

Ultimately, Ye Zhen accepted Ma Yuanjin’s explanation.

Indeed, even for Xio Qiangu, Ye Zhen himself would be extremely cautious in handling such matters, the fewer people know, the better.

"This time, I reluctantly accept your explanation, but within half a month, I want you to give me detailed intelligence on each state, each county of West Patrol’s jurisdiction, the more detailed the better." Ye Zhen ordered.

"This...I’ll do my best." Ma Yuanjin replied somewhat reluctantly.

But Ye Zhen’s reply caused inexplicable panic for Chief of Inner Affairs Bureau Ma Yuanjin.

"I don’t need useless people!"

This sentence from Ye Zhen was essentially a final ultimatum to Ma Yuanjin; if he couldn’t manage even this task, then Ma Yuanjin was just useless.

Then what use would it be for Ye Zhen to keep Ma Yuanjin around?

The message could not be clearer.

After handling these two affairs, just as Ye Zhen’s loyalists in North Sea County were eager with anticipation, each waiting for Ye Zhen’s retaliation move,

Ye Zhen surprisingly announced another retreat into cultivation.

Under the puzzled looks of the loyalists, Ye Zhen entered again into the Silent Chamber to cultivate.

No one knew that the announcement of another retreat by Ye Zhen was merely a deceptive move.

After setting up layers of Guardian Formation inside the Silent Chamber, Ye Zhen left behind a Mirage Avatar before disappearing into thin air with a flash of Blood Light.

The revenge operation officially commenced!