Chapter 111: Farewell and Good Riddance

This group of demonic cultivators was not only brutal but also incredibly cunning and notoriously difficult to apprehend. Song Yue and his team had exhausted every ounce of their energy, yet two of them had still managed to escape, leading to more chases and more battles.

In this manner, a week passed in the blink of an eye.

The delegation from the Management Bureau, who had been waiting in Hangzhou the entire time, was on the verge of a breakdown! Yet, they could not vent their frustration.

Fearful that they might be anxious, Song Yue sent back reports of their latest progress every day. In the videos, his team appeared covered in blood, pursuing enemies through the harsh wilderness. The enemies were cruel and deceitful, often turning the tables to ambush them. Anyone who watched these clips couldn't help but give a thumbs up and praise them: "These people from the Management Bureau are truly giving it their all!"

The Branch Chief led his team from the front, risking his life for the stability of the Hangzhou region. With such a person and such deeds, who could bear to find fault, unless they had abandoned their conscience?

Well, this group of people could. They had no conscience.

After watching the videos Song Yue sent back, someone sneered with disdain: "Is it really worth paying such a heavy price for a mere handful of demonic cultivators? Making it look like a dramatic TV series, full of blood and fire—this young Branch Chief may be young, but he has plenty of schemes."

"His competence is pathetic. He drags out such a trivial matter; if it were me, I would have apprehended every single one of these demonic cultivators in two days at most!"

"I have a feeling these videos are staged. Did someone on the inside tip him off beforehand?"

"I heard that high-ranking official surnamed Sun thinks highly of him..."

These staff members from the Management Bureau headquarters gossiped in private, almost all expressing their dissatisfaction. Having arrived in Hangzhou over a week ago, they had been left waiting with no one to receive or manage them—an intolerable situation for a group accustomed to being served. Since they couldn't see Song Yue, they didn't even have a target to pick a fight with, which was incredibly stifling.

Finally, on the ninth day of their stay in Hangzhou, Song Yue returned with over a dozen demonic cultivators. He had brought them back alive!

The high-ranking officials from the headquarters had started with an air of immense authority, felt deflated in the middle, grew furious afterward, and were now somewhat numb. However, the tasks they had to perform remained unchanged; they would not alter their plans regardless of what Song Yue had done during this time.

Prejudice in the human heart is a mountain, and prejudice colored by personal interest is a mountain of gold.

Although Song Yue had initially intended to give this group the cold shoulder, he had begun to take things seriously once he realized there were more and more demonic cultivators slipping through the cracks. Following the clues, he uncovered a whole nest of them! In the Hangzhou region alone, he had uncovered over twenty in just the past ten days.

Eight or nine of these were exceptionally powerful demonic cultivators who had surpassed the "Penetration" stage and were killed on the spot by Song Yue and his team. Those individuals were nearly impossible to capture alive. Although they still possessed human forms, their minds had completely transformed into those of demons. They were not only immensely ferocious but also incapable of communication. Faced with such threats, the only path was to eliminate them entirely.

The first thing Song Yue did upon returning to the branch office was to receive these high-ranking big shots from headquarters. Before they could even start finding fault, Song Yue launched his own offensive.

With an icy expression, he stood on the stage in the main conference room, gazing indifferently at them. "We have been risking our lives out there for days to apprehend these demonic cultivators. For the sake of the peace in the Hangzhou region, we haven't hesitated to put our lives on the line!"

"You people have been in Hangzhou for over ten days, watching the records I sent back daily with indifference, yet not one of you... has uttered a single word about supporting us!"

"Is this the unity of the Management Bureau?"

"What exactly did you come here to do?"

"To show off your authority as high-ranking officials?"

Someone snapped back, scolding harshly, "Song Yue, watch your language! Do you know who you are speaking to?"

Another took the opportunity to chime in: "Too immature. As a Branch Chief, how can you speak like this?"

"Indeed, he is too young. This kind of temper won't do; it’s far too irrational."

Song Yue looked at those who spoke without emotion. Ignoring them, he continued, "Before this, I always thought the Management Bureau was a pure organization, existing solely to manage anomalous events... Now it seems I was the naive one."

"I didn't expect this organization to be just as filled with bureaucratic air and filthy backroom deals."

Again, someone shouted to silence him: "Song Yue, you are being insolent!"

"What are you? Is your rank higher than mine? You’ve spoken to me like this time and again. Do you think you can walk all over me just because I’ve been ignoring you?"

Song Yue’s voice suddenly turned frigid. He leaped down from the stage and walked directly in front of the man. A palpable, chilling murderous intent washed over them, causing the man who had spoken to collapse onto the floor, looking utterly wretched.

"You keep saying I’m being insolent, but who do you think you are? Who taught you to speak like this to a Branch Chief who has just returned from a bloody battle?"

"I have information in my hands: there are at least a dozen more demonic cultivators at the Penetration level hiding in the Hangzhou region. You’ve been picking fights the moment you saw me—isn’t it all for this damn Branch Chief position?"

"Fine. I’ll hand over the information to you. Go and drag these demonic cultivators out and deal with them!"

"Whoever gets the job done can have this Branch Chief position on a silver platter!"

"I’m still young. I won't need you to find me a retirement home; I’ll resign of my own accord!"

Song Yue stared coldly at the man on the floor. The man was terrified, thinking to himself, *How could there still be more? Is he lying?*

Song Yue couldn't be bothered with him and turned his gaze toward the high-ranking leader who had headed the delegation. The leader’s face darkened. "It’s not how you think it is. No one wants to push you out..."

Song Yue smiled. "Is that so? Then are you here to inspect and provide guidance? If so, tell me, what aspects of my Hangzhou branch need improvement?"

"If you have something to say, say it. If not, then I apologize, but we are very busy! We have many things to do and no time to entertain you!"

"Don't give me that 'superior-subordinate political correctness' nonsense. I don't have time to deal with your bureaucratic games in the Management Bureau. If you have the ability, just issue an order to replace me. Otherwise, go do whatever it is you’re supposed to be doing!"

Song Yue surveyed the group with cold eyes. "Anyone who isn't blind can see how busy I am. Entertaining you has already delayed a lot of work. If you have business, do it. If not, stop causing trouble!"

"Song Yue, you are too rude!"

"Is that how you speak to your superiors?"

The people present were both shocked and furious, and they began to scold him again. Song Yue was indeed hot-tempered, but the situation was... a bit different from what they had imagined!

According to their plan, they were supposed to suppress Song Yue’s momentum through constant fault-finding. A young man, no matter how smart, couldn't possibly be without flaws. Once they found a single crack, they would attack relentlessly. Finally, the high-ranking leader would step in as a mediator, offer Song Yue a "sweet treat," and the matter would be settled, impossible for anyone to change.

They had indeed done that, and Song Yue... had indeed reacted exactly as expected!

But they had miscalculated one thing—they couldn't suppress Song Yue!

Song Yue had returned from a major victory! He was still radiating killing intent! This was akin to an ancient era where a court wanted to deal with a general. In times of peace, it was easy for clever bureaucrats to find a pretext to dispose of a rough warrior. But in times of war, if that general returned from a major victory, radiating murderous aura... trying to find fault with him was practically suicidal. Not to mention, the overwhelming public opinion was something no ordinary person could withstand.

Even Qin Hui, who had caused the death of Yue Fei to satisfy the Emperor's will, still bore the infamy of history, didn't he?

Song Yue had just killed nearly ten demonic cultivators and captured over a dozen more. This record was dazzling enough to stand out in any region across China. It was the kind of achievement that couldn't be tarnished, no matter how hard one tried!

The group wasn't unaware of this logic, but years of habit—being accustomed to looking down on others—had led them to act this way anyway. As a result, they were met with a scathing tongue-lashing from the unpredictable Song Yue, to the point where even their "boss" was rendered speechless. Of course, that might also have been out of sheer rage.

Regardless, Song Yue’s momentum today was far too strong!

What was most fatal was his final remark—that over a dozen more demonic cultivators were hiding in the Hangzhou region! At the Penetration level! Every single one was a ticking time bomb. And there were a dozen of them; just hearing it made one’s heart race.

Don't let these people’s casual talk fool you; they acted as if catching these cultivators was easy. If it were truly that simple, why would the position of Hangzhou Branch Chief have fallen to Song Yue in the first place? When it came down to it, the vast majority of the Management Bureau staff could handle some minor supernatural entities, but they had no confidence when facing these demonic cultivators who leveled up rapidly and used exceptionally cruel methods!

"This is outrageous." Someone still tried to attack Song Yue, shaking his head and searching for words.

Song Yue walked straight up to him. "You tell me, how am I being outrageous?"

The man shivered, took two steps back, and said with feigned toughness, "Song Yue, what are you trying to do? Are you going to hit someone?"

Song Yue almost couldn't hold back a laugh.

The man, embarrassed and angry, shouted, "How can you have no sense of decorum? A person like you is not fit to be a Branch Chief of the Management Bureau!"

Song Yue chuckled. "Look, isn't that what you came here for? Why don't we be frank and open about it? Wouldn't that be better?"

The lead high-ranking official looked at Song Yue and said, "Our visit this time was indeed an assessment by the organization, but your behavior is far too overbearing. Young man, even if you have some merits, you shouldn't be so arrogant and conceited."

He was a high-ranking official, after all; though he had lost his composure for a moment, he quickly regained the initiative and launched another attack on Song Yue.

Song Yue smiled—a smile filled with helplessness and a touch of sorrow. From the moment he knew what these people were up to, he had been filled with disappointment toward the Management Bureau. Fortunately, there were still upright people like Sun Tong. Although disappointed, he wasn't desperate—until he saw the ugly faces of the people before him.

The others, having regained their senses, joined the chorus of condemnation, speaking about how he was "unworthy of his position," "arrogant and overbearing," "disrespectful to superiors," and "lacking organizational discipline." Since their leader had chosen to join the fray instead of playing mediator, they had no reason to hesitate.

Disappointed, Song Yue actually became calm. He looked at the high-ranking leader and said very quietly, "I refused this position of Branch Chief from the start. I clearly stated that I lacked the seniority and the ability, and it was never what I wanted!"

"But at that time, the entire Management Bureau was turning its back on Hangzhou. Those who had the qualifications and the ability to sit in this chair were hiding as far away as they could."

"As for the reason, you know that in your own hearts."

"Do you feel it’s peaceful now? That it’s safe? And now that you see a young man like me sitting in this chair, you find it awkward? You find it an eyesore?"

"You tried every possible way to replace me, even going so far as to come here in a group to find fault?"

Song Yue sneered at them. "You want to push me out? Fine. Show me some real talent! I just said there are over a dozen more demonic cultivators here in Hangzhou, and I have all the information. Whoever wants this position, go now—kill them or capture them."

The high-ranking leader frowned, feeling that this situation was becoming thorny. Based on Song Yue’s attitude, it shouldn't be hard to force his removal, even if Sun Tong disapproved. If they just played footage of Song Yue’s overbearing behavior today, no one could say a word. The Management Bureau could tolerate a thorny staff member, but it would never tolerate a thorny Branch Chief. It had never happened in the past, and it could not happen in the future!

But if he replaced him, what would happen to those demonic cultivators? Since Song Yue dared to bring it up, those cultivators must certainly exist. A group of Penetration-level demonic cultivators—unless the Management Bureau headquarters directly sent the great masters among the consultants to intervene... but if that happened, whoever eventually took over the Hangzhou branch would likely struggle to command respect!

The high-ranking official felt a surge of frustration. He had thought the demonic cultivators had long been cleared out; who would have thought there were still so many!

Just then, Song Yue delivered the fatal blow: "By the way, according to information we obtained from those cultivators, it’s not just the Hangzhou region. There are demonic cultivators hiding in many other places as well. It’s just that there are a few more here in Hangzhou."

At that moment, someone suddenly received a message and whispered to the high-ranking official. Song Yue didn't even need to strain his ears to hear it clearly: "It's bad. We just received word that, perhaps because news from Hangzhou leaked, demonic cultivators have been discovered in many places. Several branches in other cities have suffered heavy casualties and are all requesting reinforcements."

The high-ranking official wore a look of utter misfortune, thinking, *What kind of mess is this?*

*This kid is a jinx!* Before he arrived in Hangzhou, everything was peaceful and quiet, and nothing happened. Those demonic cultivators hadn't left a single trace! Now, even with the Li family gone, they were popping up like bamboo shoots after the rain at such a critical moment. If it weren't for the fact that Song Yue and his master had a deep feud with the Li family and had just brought back a dozen cultivators, he would have suspected they were all in on it together.

*How could it be such a coincidence?*

The high-ranking official looked at Song Yue and said in a deep voice, "Since this is a matter for the Hangzhou branch, it is not convenient for us to intervene too much. However, I will report your attitude to headquarters exactly as it is."

Song Yue shrugged and grinned. "In that case, goodbye. I won’t be seeing you out."