Xuanqing Guard

At dawn, Shen Hao put down the summary delivered by Wang Yiming with satisfaction. The execution actions across various regions had all gone smoothly, with no unexpected incidents. Just a moment ago, the heads sealed in cloth bags had already been packed in boxes and sent back to the Black Banner Battalion’s base via the teleportation array. The internal inventory checked out without issue.

"Alright. Submit the report and request that the Governor’s Office send personnel to verify the execution status." After confirming everything was correct, Shen Hao affixed his signature to the summary and handed it to Wang Yiming.

"Phew..."

Stretching lazily, Shen Hao felt relaxed. He hadn’t slept all night again, but now that the matter had reached a temporary conclusion today, he could finally let his thoughts ease out of their tight state.

He poured himself a cup of tea, iced herbal tea, a new recipe from Xia Nu. Supposedly, drinking it regularly could replenish kidney water... Who knows which genius doctor managed to turn herbal tea into something like this. The flavor, though, was quite good, and it did help cool him off.

July was approaching, and the temperature in Fengri City was soaring higher and higher. Even though Shen Hao could use his cultivation to block most of the heat, he was still uncomfortable.

"I miss air conditioning..." This thought had crossed Shen Hao’s mind more than once. He hadn’t talked to any professional Array Masters about it, but based on his understanding of the magical nature of arrays in this world, he thought it was certainly achievable. If it succeeded, whether it made money or not, at least he could enjoy a more comfortable summer.

Of course, Shen Hao made fun of his own stray thoughts, but he considered them a way to let his mind rest. If given the chance, he’d definitely give it a try.

After drinking three or four sips of iced tea, Shen Hao, as per his habit, began to reflect.

Reflect on what? Reflect on his experiences and handling of the recently "closed" case, and draw gains and lessons from it.

This habit was something taught by his teacher back in another world. He had always followed it, and it had benefited him greatly.

First, Shen Hao confirmed that he had once again made a big impression on the senior leadership of the Xuanqing Guard. Saying his "star is rising" isn’t an exaggeration, and both Jiang Cheng and Pang Ban’s attitude toward him were friendly. He saw his own prospects optimistically, which fit perfectly with his original plan.

Next, he gained a new understanding of "people" in this world. It wasn’t only among evil cultivators that there were hard bones unafraid of Xuanqing Guard’s torture; even among ordinary cultivators, and not just a few. Torture wasn’t the most reliable way to solve problems—brains and details mattered far more. Also, when it comes to "personal" factors, one shouldn’t be too sure—at least leave yourself some room, or you’ll get stuck easily.

If not for his luck this time—the Zhōu Qìng family had unexpected issues—the "Ma San Case" might have stopped dead at the first firewall and gone no further. If that had happened, Shen Hao felt he’d already be thrown in prison, since he believed he made an ideal scapegoat...

Lastly, Shen Hao’s biggest gain this time was realizing he had come into contact with the highest "structure" of the Jingjiu Dynasty. Civil servants, military, Xuanqing Guard, royal family, merchants—these five were all restless in this time full of uncertainty. None seemed to have good intentions; all required caution and vigilance. This sounded the alarm for Shen Hao: he must always scan his surroundings and never carelessly fall into someone else’s trap.

As for Jiang Cheng, Shen Hao trusted him; the thigh he held onto had never let him regret it.

As for Pang Ban... To Shen Hao, the feeling was "cold-blooded." Like a beast who smiled warmly, making you feel comfortable and wary at the same time, leaving Shen Hao with a sense of awe and distance, unlike how he could relax around Jiang Cheng.

Regarding the Emperor, Shen Hao had witnessed the terrifying control and power he wielded this time. The renowned National Pillar General, a cultivator of the Profound Sea Realm, was suppressed in silence by the Emperor, unable to voice a word on important Ministry of War matters. Later, the Emperor actually rendered him powerless in the Ministry, not fearing any backlash; this was clearly total dominance.

The Emperor didn’t even need to explain—he simply dismissed the Ministry of War officials and replaced them with his own people, so overbearing yet no one dared to gossip. Shen Hao could see this from periodicals; the Emperor handled such big matters without a ripple.

Shen Hao hadn’t previously anticipated such imposing authority from the Emperor.

He was quite curious about what the Emperor relied upon. Was it just the Golden Sword Cultivators from Fenghong Manor? Shen Hao doubted it was that simple.

In summary: from now on, he must be cautious, cautious, and more cautious. Before acting, he must calculate thoroughly and keep his greed in check—follow the right people and never make a sudden jump halfway.

What was interesting was the Prince Ling, Yang Shu, whom he’d met yesterday at the Imperial City Restaurant. The Seventh Prince truly impressed Shen Hao.

Now Shen Hao had met two princes: Seventh Prince Yang Shu and Fifth Prince Yang Lin.

Yang Lin’s arrogance, wealth, and aggressiveness left a deep impression on Shen Hao. That innate sense of superiority and insistence on not being refused was a major reason Shen Hao disliked him.

But for Yang Shu, Shen Hao could not see any of the usual qualities befitting a prince. Instead, Yang Shu seemed like a spoiled second-generation rich kid: nonchalant, slightly arrogant, but most importantly, daring and perceptive.

He still remembered when Shen Hao drew his blade, unleashing evil qi. Anyone else would’ve been scared stiff, but Yang Shu only startled briefly and quickly recovered. Even when faced with Shen Hao’s previous "offense," he was merely annoyed in secret, staying well within his tolerance; later, he invited Shen Hao to drink and made peace... Whether call it a broad mind or deep scheming, anyway, Shen Hao rated him far higher than the Fifth Prince.

Fortunately, with Pang Ban as a shield, Shen Hao extricated himself easily. Still, he was curious why this Seventh Prince, who seemed anything but simple, sought him out.

Make friends? Ha!

Then is it profit he’s after? But what could he gain?

For a prince to seek out a Hundred Households Officer as a friend? That officer must have something unusual about him.

"Because of the Black Banner Battalion?" That was the only "specialty" Shen Hao could think of in himself. Following that line of thought, he felt a bit more confident.

Looking across the entire Jingjiu Dynasty, who in the Black Banner Battalion stands out most? Who is favored by the Xuanqing Guard’s senior leaders? Isn’t it Shen Hao himself? Plus, Fengri City’s Black Banner Battalion was the dynasty’s sole "pilot" program, with untapped potential. If they win him over, could they then take the chance to get a hand in the Black Banner Battalion’s organization?

Shen Hao was startled by his own speculation, realizing that he’d already become this prominent?