Chapter 209: Disappointment
Official documents and reports from every district arrived almost daily, piling up on Chen Ping’an’s desk.
"Ren Jing, you handle these for now. If there’s anything you don’t understand, you can ask Shan Qiwang."
After these brief instructions, Chen Ping’an handed the matters over to Cheng Renjing.
"My Lord..." Seeing Chen Ping’an’s demeanor, Cheng Renjing hesitated. He thought for a moment, but in the end, he couldn’t hold back and spoke up.
"Right now, the various factions are clearly targeting us. They’ve even started going after the industries under our Garrison Commandant’s Office’s name. One after another, they’re using all sorts of tactics. If the Garrison Commandant’s Office doesn’t retaliate and show them what we’re made of, I’m afraid we’ll find ourselves in an extremely passive position!"
"And what do you propose?" Chen Ping’an looked up at Cheng Renjing.
Cheng Renjing’s expression brightened as he said, "We could conduct targeted drills and exercises to put some pressure on the factions. We could also strengthen our patrol forces and regularly inspect the industries under our name..."
Cheng Renjing answered with extreme fluency, without a moment’s hesitation. It was clear he had given this a great deal of thought.
Chen Ping’an shook his head, not agreeing with Cheng Renjing’s suggestion.
From a practical standpoint, it would indeed be somewhat helpful in the current situation. But unfortunately... these past few days, Chen Ping’an had no desire to invest any energy into such matters.
’Rather than getting tied up in back-and-forth games that drain my energy, it’s better to find an opportunity later to settle things with one decisive blow!’
For him, the most pressing matter at hand was to advance his Vajra Unbreakable Divine Skill to the Minor Success Realm as quickly as possible.
Looking at Chen Ping’an, Cheng Renjing felt a pang of disappointment.
Two months ago, when Chen Ping’an had just arrived in White Stone City, he had been swift and decisive, his methods forceful. Cheng Renjing had originally thought that after becoming Commander-in-Chief, Chen Ping’an would maintain that style, proactively expand their influence, and suppress the opposition. But instead, he had become a recluse these past days, staying in his office from dawn till dusk, busy with who-knows-what. His decisions had become exceedingly conservative.
Faced with the increasingly severe provocations from factions like the Blood Oath Alliance and the Iron Fist Gang, he thought that even with a conservative approach, Chen Ping’an would at least react somehow, maybe retaliate a little. But to his surprise, he had completely ignored it.
It was true that the combined factions were difficult to deal with, but the Garrison Commandant’s Office held the moral high ground. If they truly got serious, they were by no means powerless to resist. But to act like this...
Cheng Renjing sighed inwardly, momentarily at a loss for what to do.
"Is there anything else?" Chen Ping’an looked up at Cheng Renjing, confused.
"No, nothing," Cheng Renjing snapped back to reality.
"Ren Jing, don’t worry too much. For now, focus all our efforts on pulling back and defending. As for what comes next, we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it."
Chen Ping’an offered a gentle smile, trying to comfort Cheng Renjing with a few words.
Though the smile was gentle, in Cheng Renjing’s eyes, it was grating.
After leaving the office, Cheng Renjing’s face was etched with worry.
The targeting by the Blood Oath Alliance and the Iron Fist Gang was overt, while the support from the three great clans and the Commerce Alliance was covert. With this combination of open and hidden threats, the Garrison Commandant’s Office was already in an extremely passive position.
Some of the constables below had been severely affected, and with the Garrison Commandant’s Office delaying any action, morale was already starting to crumble.
Cheng Renjing kept these matters to heart, but he was helpless. He couldn’t influence Chen Ping’an’s decision.
Under normal circumstances, a Deputy Commander would be there to appropriately balance the Commander-in-Chief’s authority. But now, due to various incidents, the White Stone Town Pacification Bureau had yet to select a Deputy Commander. The entire Garrison Commandant’s Office was undoubtedly under Chen Ping’an’s absolute control.
’Focus all efforts on pulling back and defending... If we really respond like this, I’m afraid the Blood Oath Alliance and the other factions will just take a mile after we give them an inch! They’ll further encroach upon the Garrison Commandant’s Office’s interests...’
Cheng Renjing was deeply worried.
But Chen Ping’an had already made his decision, so Cheng Renjing could only bite the bullet and carry it out.
As the plans for a full defensive retreat were announced and implemented, the constables within the Garrison Commandant’s Office grew restless, and unrest began to spread.
"A full defensive retreat? Did I hear that right?"
"What the hell! Who’s the Garrison Commandant’s Office here, them or us?!"
"It’s already affecting our families! Is the Garrison Commandant’s Office still not going to do anything?!"
"..."
In the days following the announcement of the strategy, Chiefs of the Patrol Office from various districts came one after another to see Chen Ping’an. However, the strategy of a full defensive retreat remained unchanged.
In truth, Chen Ping’an understood what his subordinates were thinking. A forceful counterattack at this time could, to some extent, resolve the internal conflict.
’But...’
’A leader must plan for success, not for reputation!’
’Striking now would undoubtedly consume too much of my energy, and it could easily lead to unnecessary complications. Rather than do that, it’s better to wait until my strength has improved further. Then I can reveal a bit more of my power and settle things with one decisive blow!’
...
「Blood Oath Alliance.」
"The Garrison Commandant’s Office has begun a full retreat?"
"He can even tolerate this? He’s just a turtle hiding in his shell!"
"That Chen Ping’an really had me fooled when he first arrived. Looks like he’s just a coward!"
"I told you our encroachment was too slow before! We can totally be more aggressive! While the Weishui Garrison is stretched thin, we should seize these benefits and make them a done deal!"
"Makes sense! Opportunity knocks but once! If the Weishui Garrison frees up its hands, it’ll be hard to find another chance like this!"
"Mmm, but with the Garrison Commandant’s Office in a full retreat, they’ve become a tough nut to crack for the time being."
"Simple! We’ll just make the Garrison Commandant’s Office expose a weakness itself!"
"How so?"
"I hear Chen Ping’an has a sister. How about we... heheh!"
"Great idea! If we succeed, we can use his sister as a bargaining chip. If we fail, it’s the perfect excuse to openly pick a fight and speed things up. It’s a win-win. We can do it! What do you guys think?"
"Agreed!"
"Agreed!"
"..."
Inside the Blood Oath Alliance’s Yiqi Hall, the nine seated figures of the Inner Qi Realm all voiced their opinions and made their choice.
"Heheh, my hands have been itching for a long time! Alliance Leader, if that Chen Ping’an really decides to jump, I’ll deal with him!" Lu Hongxian sneered as he listened to his brothers’ discussion.
He was the type who couldn’t stand being idle. He was happiest when there was a fight to be had.
"Good! I’ll leave it to you!"
Luan Xiong agreed, then turned to look at his brothers. Thinking of how favorable the current situation was, his heart swelled with heroic ambition.
"Within half a month, we will swallow up all the Garrison Commandant’s Office’s industries! I raise my cup to you, my brothers!"
"To the Alliance Leader!" the crowd roared in unison.
Laughter and conversation filled Yiqi Hall, the atmosphere lively.
At this moment, they didn’t give the White Stone Town Pacification Bureau a second thought.
It wasn’t that they were being overly complacent, but rather that all the major factions in White Stone City had united, forming a combined force. How could the Garrison Commandant’s Office possibly stand against such overwhelming power?
A similar scene was also unfolding within the Iron Fist Gang.
In the two days that followed, the encroachment of the Blood Oath Alliance and the Iron Fist Gang grew even more ferocious. They reached their hands out further and further. Although the people of the Garrison Commandant’s Office were extremely resentful, they were helpless and could only watch as their interests were continuously stripped away.