Patrol Captain

"The news of Helian Shan's departure should have been kept secret."

"Can anyone tell me how outsiders found out?"

Chen Yuan spoke, his voice not loud, but the atmosphere in the hall was as quiet as a chicken's nest, the heavy atmosphere making everyone feel suffocated.

Everyone kept their heads down. Some had no idea that the Imperial Preceptor was not at Yunding Mountain, so they simply stood by and watched, obediently staying put. Others knew, such as the group of officials from the capital, who all gripped their sleeves tightly, their minds tense, and fine beads of sweat on their foreheads.

At the very front, Fang La wore a crimson official robe, the color that originally symbolized power now appearing like a branding iron stuck to his body, making his taut back hunch slightly. His head was bowed very low, the hair on his forehead swaying gently with his rapid breathing. He dared not raise his eyes, his eyelids tightly closed, his hands hanging at his shoulders, tucked into his sleeves, his fingers clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white from the force.

At this moment, facing Chen Yuan's question in the main hall, the once imposing Imperial Censor's Adam's apple bobbed, yet he dared not raise his head. He kept telling himself that he was merely acting on divine orders, and the leak of information had nothing to do with him, but his heart pounded wildly in his chest, as if it were about to break free and shatter its ribs.

A suffocating fear permeated his heart.

In this deathly and suffocating atmosphere, Chen Yuan's voice turned cold.

"None of you will talk? My patience is limited. Don't make me force you to talk."

Who was the last to see Helian Shan?

Seeing that this person was about to get really angry, someone in the front row finally stood up.

With a face like that of the Thunder God, pupils like copper lacquer, and tiny silver lightning bolts swirling around his body, he was none other than Lei Shan.

Lei Shan stepped forward, bowed, and said in a low voice, "Reporting to Lord Chen, it is I!"

"Before leaving, Lord Helian did indeed suppress the news, claiming he needed to conduct business quietly at his residence and that all matters should be reported urgently via official documents. In reality, he entrusted the handling of these matters to me, but..."

Lei Shan's voice was low and deep. He paused here, his tone hesitant.

He originally didn't want to step forward, thinking that the matter had already been resolved and he didn't want to make a big fuss, as it wouldn't do him any good. But now that General Chen had said so much, he had no choice but to come out.

At the same time, with this pause, Fang La, who was at the head of another column, suddenly trembled, his heart pounding in his throat.

"But what?" On the main seat, Chen Yuan's golden eyes flashed, sharp as an eagle, and landed on Lei Shan. His gaze seemed to penetrate people's hearts and see through everything.

Lei Shan instantly felt a chill run through his body, like being pricked by needles, and his hair stood on end, as if he were being stared at by a ferocious beast. He had no choice but to tell the whole story.

"Just an hour ago, Censor-in-Chief Fang, along with a group of colleagues, came to the backyard on His Majesty's orders, insisting on seeing the Imperial Preceptor. I had no choice but to explain the Imperial Preceptor's whereabouts."

Even though Lei Shan had just clashed with Fang La and cursed him, he did not embellish the story when recounting it, so as not to cause any misjudgment.

After all, Fang La carried the emperor's decree and could not be offended too much, so he had his concerns.

However, Fang La did not accept this explanation.

Upon hearing Lei Shan's account of implicating him, the Imperial Censor suddenly looked up, his eyes reddening. In his nervousness, he strained his throat to amplify his voice as he tried to defend himself.

"Lei Shan, what do you mean by that? Your words are making people suspicious of me?"

"I was acting on His Majesty's orders to ascertain the Grand Preceptor's whereabouts. How could I possibly be colluding with the enemy? I summoned people for a meeting as soon as I left your courtyard. Why didn't you say you already knew?"

He spoke sternly to Lei Shan, who had stepped forward, but then noticed Chen Yuan's gaze suddenly shift to the side.
Did I give you permission to speak?

As he finished speaking, a golden light flashed in his eyes.

The next moment, Fang La, who was speaking fiercely, suddenly stopped talking. Then, with a muffled thud, he screamed and was violently thrown by an invisible force. He slid on the ground, leaving a long trail of scarlet blood, and lay limp like a dead dog.

An uproar erupted in the hall, and the two rows of officials retreated hastily.

Then they saw Chen Yuan slowly rise from his seat, stand on the high platform, his gaze as indifferent as a sharp knife, and speak:

"Everyone except those who went to the backyard with this person, step back."

"I want to see who is betraying us at this crucial time!"

His words sent a chill through the hall, causing the temperature to plummet and making the civil and military officials tremble with fear.

"Yes!"

"Leave quickly."

No one dared to stay any longer. After a quick bow, they hurriedly left the hall, fearing they would be accused of treason, which would cost them their heads, especially in the hands of the ruthless Lord Chen.

Soon, the people in the hall dispersed, leaving only a few scattered eleven or twelve people in the group.

These people were the same group of officials from the capital who had followed Fang La to the backyard, almost identical to the "configuration" of those who had stormed the Ninth Mountain Palace.

At this moment, these people were at a loss and looked terrified. They couldn't bear such a big burden. What they feared most was that Chen Yuan was a ruthless killer, as cold-blooded as Fang La. Now, he was lying on the floor like a dead dog.

On the high platform, Chen Yuan simply said, "Close the door!"

Soon, with a loud "click-clack-clack," the main gate of the hall slammed shut with the screeching sound of the iron axle, shutting out the shards of golden sunset and plunging the hall into darkness.

"thump"

Under this suffocating pressure, some people could not suppress their fear, their knees buckled, and they knelt down, clasping their hands and pleading for justice towards Chen Yuan on the high platform.

"General Chen, we are innocent! We were just taken by Lord Fang to see Grand Preceptor Helian. How could we have colluded with the enemy and leaked information?"

"I hope the general will understand!"

"."

Cries of injustice echoed throughout the hall, but after a short while, these sounds vanished, leaving the hall eerily quiet.

The Heavenly Army soldiers standing guard outside the gate were all uneasy about the atmosphere and tried to stay as far away from the main hall as possible.

Soon, the sun set in the west, the sky darkened, and night enveloped the dome, casting a gloomy and somber atmosphere over the solemn and majestic hall.

At three quarters past dusk, a group of soldiers openly stormed into the Cloud Peak and arrived at the square of the Heavenly Patrol Hall. They were wearing the standard armor of the Ninth Mountain, and their eyes were frighteningly bright.

As soon as the troops arrived, the leader addressed the Skywalking Army soldiers who routinely patrolled this crucial location.
“From now on, we will take over this area. The Ninth Mountain will be responsible for patrolling. Your people have half an incense stick's time to withdraw and leave.”

The tone left no room for negotiation!

The soldiers of the Heavenly Army patrolling the Heavenly Palace turned pale upon hearing this, for it was a sign of a change in power, yet they had not received any orders.

They wanted to ask for instructions, but their commanders were still inside the main hall, which was filled with an intimidating aura. Even the leading officer on duty dared not disturb them.

However, they had no time to think. The general from the Ninth Mountain was currently in the main hall; this wasn't their concern, it was a matter for those above them. The officer on duty, though displeased, gritted his teeth and ordered, "Withdraw!"

A group of golden-armored warriors quickly retreated down the mountain from the Heavenly Patrol Hall, doing so cleanly and efficiently.

The troops from the Ninth Mountain quickly changed shifts, winding their way out from the main hall of the Heavenly Patrol to both sides, with a post every ten steps and a sentry every five steps.

After the troops were deployed, the tightly closed doors of the Heavenly Patrol Hall opened from the inside, like the gaping maw of a giant beast, exuding darkness and gloom. If you smelled it closely, you could smell the stench of blood.

After the door opened, an old general in blue armor walked out.

"Sir!" A military captain standing at the door raised his voice and respectfully clasped his hands in greeting to Gongsun Yang.

Gongsun Yang's eyes gleamed with a deep black light as he whispered, "Take men and drag the corpses and people out."

"Yes!"

After saying that, the captain raised his hand and waved, signaling his men to follow him inside. Then he took the lead and rushed into the dark hall.

The clanging of armor clashing against each other rushed into the hall, and in no time, a group of armored soldiers dragged figures out of the hall.

They were arranged in pairs, each holding one arm, and these people, with disheveled hair and heads hanging low, resembled corpses, offering no resistance. Their official robes revealed their identities, and the bloodstains on them gleamed crimson against the cold gleam of their armor.

These people and their bodies will be disposed of secretly.

As for how to announce it to the outside world
"Do you two both know what to do next?"

In the dimly lit hall, Chen Yuan's indifferent voice rang out.

Inside, besides Chen Yuan, there were two other people.

Lei Shan and Wu, the commander of the Tianxing Army, were bowing their heads and supporting themselves with their hands.

"clear."

Their voices were hoarse, and it sent chills down my spine.

Ahead, Chen Yuan stood with his hands behind his back, his eyes like those of a wild beast in the darkness.
“I know what you’re thinking. No one will believe that Fang La colluded with the enemy and betrayed the country. Your emperor certainly won’t either. He will only think that I’m settling a personal score, and may even fly into a rage.”

"But so what? I don't care. It's his fault for not listening to advice and having wicked thoughts at this time. It's not his place to interfere in my affairs with Lord Helian."

Chen Yuan strolled around with his hands behind his back, his tone nonchalant, tinged with a cold laugh. He then approached the two men, his eyes opening and closing with a meaningful gaze.

"Besides, you two will be more at ease knowing this guy is dead. Neither of you wanted him to live."

Upon hearing this, Lei Shan and Commander Wu's tall and muscular bodies trembled involuntarily, as if some secret thoughts had been exposed.

The two men were greatly alarmed, feeling that they had no secrets whatsoever from this important figure.

That's absolutely right.

Lei Shan was exposed by Fang La in public for helping Helian Shan conceal the truth from Emperor Wu. If this were to reach Emperor Wu's ears, his future would be uncertain. Fang La was eliminated by General Chen, and Lei Shan had to admit that he felt relieved.

As for Commander Wu of the Heavenly Army, he had confronted Fang La several times today. Fang La showed him no respect and used His Majesty to pressure him, ordering him to do this and that, which made him unhappy. Moreover, he had indirectly helped Grand Preceptor Helian conceal his whereabouts. Whether he knew it or not, Fang La didn't care and definitely remembered it. So he had to admit that he also had these thoughts.

Their throats bobbed, but they didn't utter a single word, which was taken as tacit agreement.

Chen Yuan wasn't particularly interested in either of them.

"Go down, you two go about your business and maintain the status quo."

"From now on, the Ninth Mountain will gradually take over Cloud Peak Mountain. You just need to cooperate. No need to say anything more. I don't need to teach you this, do I?"

Chen Yuan turned to the side and waved his hand.

"Yes!"

Lei Shan and his companion dared not utter a single word of dissent and reluctantly agreed.

The pressure from Chen Yuan standing before them was immense; everything that had just happened in the hall was still fresh in their minds.

That's ruthless!
The key point is that neither of them could fathom Chen Yuan's thoughts at that moment.

The two bowed and took their leave, turning around and leaving the main hall step by step with tense bodies. When they reached the door, they saw a uniform group of Ninth Mountain soldiers guarding the front of the hall. The two men had different expressions, especially Commander Wu, who showed a worried look.

However, upon seeing Mr. Gongsun standing at the door, he forced himself to cheer up and nodded to him. Having witnessed the man's supernatural abilities today, he was convinced that the rumors were true. This man was the agent who walked on the Ninth Mountain in the palace, and he dared not underestimate him.

Gongsun Yang nodded to the two of them and even offered them a handrail, saying, "Take care, gentlemen!"

Perhaps because they had been made somewhat cautious by the killing god in the hall, the two of them felt flattered and returned the greeting before leaving.

After watching the two leave, Gongsun Yang returned to the main hall, approached Chen Yuan, clasped his hands in a salute, then raised his head, his eyes flashing.

"General, take all the men away. Dispose of the dead bodies and put the living ones in the dungeon of my Ninth Mountain."

Upon hearing this, Chen Yuan nodded. "Find an opportunity and kill them all!"

Gongsun Yang didn't say anything, but asked curiously, "General, are there really any traitors among these people?"

He only knew how to carry out the general's orders, arresting these people for treason. The three ringleaders, Fang La and his two accomplices, were executed, while the other nine, suspected of involvement, were apprehended and imprisoned.

But others might not think that way, believing that this charge was merely a way for Chen Yuan to silence the world, including His Majesty. Moreover, with the Ninth Mountain now taking over Cloud Peak Mountain, it's natural to speculate.

When Chen Yuan was asked this question, he recalled how he had used his dream-making technique to discover the shady dealings these people were involved in. Colluding with the enemy? Ha, it just goes to show that this world is a huge makeshift operation, and no one can pass the mind-searching test.

He didn't explain, but his voice was cold: "These people are of no value to the current situation. On the contrary, they will only make things worse. Keeping them around is a disaster."

"I originally wanted to wait for Helian Shan to make a move to prove his sincerity, but because of this Fang's mischief, I was forced to show myself, wasting my energy. He deserves to die."

"This news can't be kept secret any longer. It's bound to cause some turmoil, and all sorts of rumors will definitely spread. Since that's the case, let's go all the way and let the Ninth Mountain take over Cloud Peak Mountain!"

He spoke in a nonchalant tone.

As he spoke, he turned to the side with his hands behind his back, looked at Gongsun Yang, and laughed.

"My personal sanctuary is still a bit lacking; it will take some more time."

"Master Gongsun's writing is also effective in warfare. Having served by my side for so long, it's time for him to take on a major responsibility!" (End of Chapter)