Su Ding stood rooted to the spot, covering his face in bewilderment.

What did he mean by 'take down my mother'? What a thing to say…

The surrounding crowd, who had been ready to jump out and curry favor with Su Huai'an once the situation became clear, were now frozen in place.

What is happening?

"Third Uncle, what do you mean by this?" Su Ding asked, completely puzzled.

SLAP!

Another heavy blow struck his face.

Su Ding was speechless.

"This is all your fault!" Su Huai'an shot Su Ding a venomous glare. Not daring to delay, he hurried toward Yang Hu and Chen Yang, his face turning a ghastly shade of purple.

Before Su Ding could ask another question, Su Huai'an's knees buckled. He collapsed to the ground, raising the Tiger Seal high above his head. His voice trembled with fear as he said, "It is I who was blind and failed to recognize my superiors. I have offended you, Sir, and deserve to die!"

The onlookers stared in disbelief.

A dignified third-rank Military General was actually kneeling?

It was this single act that brought the seven or eight guards rushing over to an abrupt halt. Those who had been preparing to lavish praise on Su Huai'an shrank back into the crowd. Even Sun Qing, who had just gotten to his feet, voluntarily knelt back down.

Chen Yang glanced at Su Huai'an and remarked coolly, "Why would you deserve to die? Weren't you just saying that we wouldn't be leaving through this door today?"

"A misunderstanding! It's all a misunderstanding! We're on the same side!" Su Huai'an stammered, his lips turning pale as cold sweat streamed down his face.

"Don't be ridiculous. Your official authority is so great, you have an escort of eight carriages and seven or eight guards.

"When you return to your hometown, local tycoons and gentry line the streets to welcome you. They even set up a grand welcome banquet for you in this five-star hotel.

"How could I possibly be the same kind of person as you?

"Oh, right. Didn't you also say I should kneel before your nephew and kowtow in apology to your Su Family?" Chen Yang tilted his head, asking Su Huai'an with a serious stare.

"This..."

Su Huai'an was at a loss for words, his face as pale as a sheet. Freeing one hand, he began to slap himself viciously, crying out, "I was wrong! Sir, I truly know I was wrong! Please be magnanimous and spare me!"

Forcing the Nine Gates Admiral to kneel to me? At that moment, Su Huai'an wished he could strangle himself.

He had no one to blame but his own boundless arrogance, which led him to look down on everyone. Furthermore, at his rank, he'd never had the opportunity or the qualifications to meet the Zhennan Prince, which led directly to this disastrous predicament.

SLAP! SLAP! SLAP!

Su Huai'an struck his own face again and again, each slap landing with a force that made the onlookers gasp.

You wouldn't even hit an enemy like that, would you? But the real question is, what's wrong with a dignified third-rank Military General? Who exactly is this other man to frighten him so much? It's as if he's seen a ghost.

"I can forgive your rudeness toward me; after all, we are colleagues. But how do you intend to gain forgiveness from the Elders' Court and the Patrol and Arrest Team?"

At Chen Yang's words, Su Huai'an's pupils contracted violently, his eyes bursting with sheer terror and despair.

Given his typical conduct and his private misdeeds, if the Elders' Court and the Patrol and Arrest Team found out... a trip to the Martial Department's court would be a light sentence; he could lose his life!

Before he could think further, a team of officers in green uniforms entered the banquet hall, their expressions solemn. After a quick scan of the room, they walked straight over.

They first greeted Chen Yang, then turned to Su Huai'an. One of them said coldly, "Su Huai'an, we're from the Patrol and Arrest Team. You need to come with us."

In an instant, all the energy drained from Su Huai'an's body, and he collapsed onto the ground like a boneless heap.

It's over…

Within the Martial Department, the Patrol and Arrest Team was the one entity that made all Civil Officials and Military Generals turn pale with fear. Once targeted by this supervisory department, no one had ever been known to escape. After all, if they took an interest in you, it was almost certain you had something to hide. Most who were taken away were sentenced to prison, and a significant number received the death penalty.

Given Su Huai'an's crimes, there was a ninety-percent chance he would be sentenced to death.

The Patrol and Arrest Team's legal system was independent, applying only to members of the Martial Department. Its laws were so strict they bordered on draconian. After all, the Martial Department was the very foundation of the nation.

Unfortunately, some people could never resist the lure of profit, taking perilous risks while clinging to the hope of getting lucky. However, the net of Heaven is vast; though its mesh is wide, nothing escapes.

Su Huai'an was taken away. He was in such a state of shock that he had to be dragged out by the members of the Patrol and Arrest Team.

The hall fell into an eerie silence. Who could have imagined that Su Huai'an, at his own welcome banquet, would be arrested by the Martial Department's Patrol and Arrest Team? From the looks of it, his crime was no small matter.

The crowd of guests all lowered their heads, averting their eyes, terrified of drawing Chen Yang's attention. This young man, who always seemed to wear a smile, was terrifyingly powerful—far beyond anyone they could afford to provoke. A dignified third-rank Military General had been finished by him with effortless ease.

Chen Yang walked up to Su Ding and patted his shoulder with a smile. "Mr. Su, so everything you did before was an act? Your acting is quite good; you completely fooled me."

Su Ding trembled like a leaf, not daring to utter a sound.

"You personally waited for me on the road just so I could witness the power of your Su Family's backer? From the looks of it, this backer of yours isn't all that impressive!"

Su Ding was shaking so hard his teeth were about to shatter from clenching them. If a pill for regret existed in this world, he would have chosen to be Chen Yang's obedient dog. If Chen Yang told him to eat shit, he would never have deigned to eat grass!

BANG!

Yang Hu grabbed his head and slammed it onto the table. "You wanted my Boss to kowtow and apologize to you? Kowtow! Now you kowtow for me, and kowtow hard!"

Blood splattered as the tabletop cracked.

The crowd winced.

This is too brutal! He was a human being, yet they were smashing his head repeatedly as if he were a doll.

Finally, Su Ding was thrown to the floor like a helpless chick.

Sun Qing, who was nearest to the scene, tried to shuffle away, only to find his limbs were stiff with fear, refusing to move.

"It would have been much better to just behave. Why go to such lengths to ask for trouble?" Chen Yang shook his head and turned to leave.

Not long after Chen Yang departed, news about the arrest of the third-rank Military General Su Huai'an began to spread through the city. Many people found it a shame, since Su Huai'an was originally from Lingjin City. What truly intrigued them, however, was the rumor that a much higher-ranking official from the Martial Department had arrived in Lingjin City—an official who was very likely the Nine Gates Admiral, the Zhennan Prince himself!

「」

When Chen Yang returned to Book Mountain Court, the sky had already turned completely dark. A Porsche Panamera parked at the villa's entrance was a reminder that someone was visiting. As he entered the courtyard, he heard voices from the living room and immediately understood. It was the brilliant graduate from Fania University his mother-in-law had been talking about.

Xiang Yang? Didn't she say he would be coming in two days? Why is he here today?

Chen Yang smirked. This kid is pretty eager! He strode toward the living room.

Just as he reached the main door, his brow furrowed. A sharp, chilling aura flashed in his eyes as he glanced up at the roof.

Someone else is here? Are they also after the documents?

...

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