Chapter 208 (Chapter Two Hundred and Seven): Exorbitant Compensation

The corridor fell silent instantly.

The quiet conversations and the soft clatter of heels on the paving stones that used to accompany the General Administration staff as they passed by have all disappeared.

Changming raised his hand, turned it towards the light, and carefully examined the scars on the back of his hand. His fingertips slowly brushed across his skin, and the scorch marks gradually faded, but were still not completely healed.

She tucked her hands into her sleeves, then turned around: "Director Yan."

"Changming," Yan Shi replied slowly and deliberately, "Now, can my subordinates complete their official duties as usual?"

Changming raised an eyebrow slightly, stepped aside to make way for the elevator entrance, and walked towards Yanshi: "What do you mean by that, Director Yan? I had no intention of obstructing you."

Standing behind Yan Shi, Lu Jian saw that Chang Ming had finally moved away and quickly made a gesture to the nearby employees.

Several employees carrying documents hurriedly ran towards the elevator, heads down, not daring to look at Yan Shi and Chang Ming in the corridor. After entering, they pressed a floor button at random and hurriedly closed the door.

The elevator doors closed and slowly started moving, ascending from the second floor. Only then did the tension in the corridor seem to ease slightly.

Yan Shi and Chang Ming exchanged a glance before simultaneously looking away.

Yan Shi: "Go to the south reception room."

Although Changming was detained at the Bureau of Foreign Affairs as a "hostage" because the bigwigs of Yaoque violated the "Peace Protection Regulations" without authorization, his status and strength are undeniable.

Since Yan Shi wasn't present, the staff of the Bureau of Extraordinary Affairs really didn't dare to do anything to her.

After entering the reception room, Lu Jian served Yan Shi and Chang Ming each a cup of tea, then bowed and quietly retreated to the door.

The tea was light in color, with wisps of steam rising from it, and it had a refreshing aroma.

Putting aside the frequent overtime work, as a government-affiliated unit, the Bureau of Foreign Affairs enjoys a full range of benefits and treatments, and the tea rooms on each floor are naturally well-equipped.

Yan Shi visited once when she first took office, but as the director, her subordinates, who were chatting happily, immediately became as quiet as chickens the moment she entered the break room.

The atmosphere was tense. Yan Shi had just walked in when he silently left the tea room.

Naturally, I didn't get to drink the beverages provided by the General Administration.

At this moment, a teacup was placed in front of her. Curious, she picked it up and took a small sip.

Yan Shi: ...

Yan Shi: !

The moment the tea enters your mouth, a rush of bitter, spicy, sour, and sweet flavors all come together, making your vision go black.

Yan Shi even felt as if he could see his grandmother waving.

Changming, however, kept his eyes fixed on her.

Yan Shi had no choice but to swallow the tea, barely managing to keep a straight face and pretend nothing had happened.

Changming picked up her teacup and took a sip herself. "Thank you for your hospitality, Director Yan." She seemed to really enjoy it, taking another sip after the first.

Yan Shi casually shifted his gaze from the ever-burning teacup and said calmly, "Let's talk about what happened last night."

"Regarding Venerable Changming, you broke the world barrier without the approval of the Bureau of Otherworldly Affairs, entered the surface world without authorization, and used your spirit to threaten the lives of the beings in the surface world."

Changming looked up at Yanshi.

There are many rumors surrounding the newly appointed Director Yan of the Bureau of Foreign Affairs, from official news to various unofficial sources.

Since the Bureau of Alien Affairs moved its headquarters to the surface world more than 20 years ago, the Bureau of Alien Affairs has gradually lost its control over order in human territories.

Just when the Underworld had almost forgotten about the Bureau of Extraordinary Affairs, Director Yan suddenly appeared.

Words become law, a raised hand sets the sun.

But no living being knows her past or origin.

It's one thing for humans not to know, but Changming, as a spirit born from a broken sword, has lived for over a thousand years, longer than some human cities have existed.

Logically speaking, with Yan Ju's strength, he should have shown his prowess in the underworld while still a teenager.

But Changming had never heard of it.

Yanju seemed to appear out of thin air, his past a complete mystery.

However, Changming is now certain of one thing: this Director Yan's strength is far more unfathomable than the rumors in the underworld suggest.

“We were just being too concerned,” Changming said, regaining his composure. “If cultural relics have become sentient, they are our kin. So many of our kin are trapped in this place where resentment gathers, so as elders, we naturally have to step forward to protect them.”

She paused, her eyes flickering slightly, "Director Yan, in your human language, this is only human nature."

"Hmm," Yan Shi replied calmly, looking directly into Changming's dark eyes. "We humans also have a saying: 'Those who are not of our kind.'"

Changming felt a slight jolt in his heart.

She certainly understood what the second half of the phrase "not of my kind" meant.

Among the various rumors, the most frequent description of Director Yan is that he takes absolute fairness as his anchor.

She once destroyed half of Spirit Sky City as punishment, in order to provide special compensation to the beast cubs of the Giant Jaw Plains.

In her eyes, fairness applies to all living beings in the world, including spirits and monsters.

This time, however, it was Changming and the others who violated the Peace Protection Ordinance first.

After breaking the rules, Changming tried to talk to Yanshi about "human nature"; Yanshi, of course, could also coldly reply from the perspective of the human race that "not of our kind".

As a Venerable One of Yaoque, Changming holds a pivotal position. The Bureau of Extraterrestrial Affairs cannot truly imprison her in the Void Realm unless irreversible and severe consequences occur.

That's practically tantamount to the Bureau of Evil Affairs declaring war on the entire demon race.

Among humans, demons, and other fantastical races, "racial equality" is a universally recognized political correctness at the level of the inner world.

As the Director-General of the Bureau of Foreign Affairs, Director Yan would never intentionally appear "politically incorrect".

However, it would be impossible for Director Yan to simply let it go, given his personality, especially since it involves his sister, Yan Lan.

Changming sighed inwardly and finally spoke, his voice softening: "We were indeed at fault for what happened last night."

"It was only because of the spread of resentment and fear for the safety of my fellow clansmen that I acted rashly and did not take the regulations into consideration. If I have offended the Bureau of Foreign Affairs, I would like to apologize to Director Yan."

Her posture was already unusually low-key.

However, Yan Shi simply held his teacup, his expression indifferent, and uttered a soft, indistinct syllable: "Hmm."

She raised her eyes slightly, her gaze calm: "I heard what Venerable Changming said. But an apology alone seems a bit perfunctory."

Changming's eyebrows twitched slightly: "So, Director Yan, what do you want?"

As the two locked eyes, the atmosphere in the reception room suddenly became tense. The lights flickered, and the air felt heavy and oppressive, as if pressed by an invisible force.

Yan Shi only looked at Chang Ming, tiny flames swirling around her fingertips, ready to transform into sharp blades at any moment.

“It’s very simple.” Yan Shi put the teacup back on the table. “Since the artifacts in the Summer Palace are all your kind, the losses caused by their riot last night that resulted in the huge damage to the Summer Palace should be compensated by Yao Que.”

Changming remained silent for a moment, then nodded.

Repairing damaged buildings in the surface world is of course not a difficult task for the beings in the inner world; it's just a matter of lifting a finger.

However, the "compensation" that Yanju mentioned was clearly not referring to the repair of the building itself, but rather the apology that Yaoque had to give.

Paying money to ransom someone is perfectly reasonable.

Changming was slightly taken aback.

"As for how much each person should receive," Yan Shi paused, "it depends on how much you think the Venerable of Yaoque is worth."

Giving too little is tantamount to openly admitting that the Venerable One of Yaoque is worthless.

If each person were to receive a thousand taels of gold, Yaoque's treasury would inevitably suffer a massive loss.

Changming remained silent for a moment. His fingertips hovered over the tea lid, and after a brief pause, he said, "...Okay."

"Yaoque will deliver the compensation within three days." She said calmly, taking another sip of her tea, trying to appear indifferent and forget that she had just promised to pay an exorbitant amount of compensation.

“In addition,” after Changming agreed to the compensation agreement, Yanshi continued, “to prevent such incidents from happening again, the General Bureau will send personnel into Yaoque to supervise the process.”

She paused, looked directly at Changming, and pursed her lips slightly: "I think these are the basic requirements, and Venerable Changming should have no problem with them."

Changming: ...

She placed the teacup on the table: "Director Yan, Yaoque is not under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Foreign Affairs."

“Hmm.” Yan Shi responded, raising an eyebrow slightly. “That’s why you openly violated the Peace Protection Act.”

Changming stared at Yanshi for a long time, trying to find some familiar traces on her face.

Sending personnel into Yaoque is not the same as establishing a branch of the Bureau of Foreign Affairs within Yaoque. Director Yan's statement was handled with exquisite finesse, leaving her unable to refuse yet also unable to refute it.

This gave Changming a sense of humiliation he hadn't felt in a long time.

After a long pause, she said, "...Okay." Her voice was almost squeezed out from between her teeth, "But if you are sending someone, you must personally appoint them. Otherwise, I will not allow any unauthorized personnel to set foot in Yaoque."

This is Changming's final bottom line.

Yan Shi looked at her quietly, a barely perceptible smile curving his lips: "Of course. Since it's a supervisory role, the person sent must be one of my most trusted subordinates."

Changming closed his eyes briefly, but finally nodded: "In that case, we will do as you say."

“Hmm,” Yan Shi said. “I hope that in the future, Yao Que will remember that the Peace Protection Ordinance is not just for decoration.”

Changming: "Of course."

Even if she lived a long life, she would find it hard to forget that she first gave away an exorbitant compensation and then relinquished a portion of her management authority.

Lu Jian, standing by the door, was dumbfounded.

If it weren't for the fact that there was nothing obstructing her view, Director Yan and Venerable Changming could have seen her every move simply by turning their heads. Lu Jian would have already taken out his phone and started typing.

This was the first time Lu Jian had witnessed Yan Ju negotiating face-to-face.

The target is still Changming. The Venerable of Yaoque, one of the three emperors of the demon race, whose status and strength are enough to make countless people retreat.

Lu Jian was certain that no living being had ever caused Changming such a setback.

Director Yan spoke casually, leaving no room for negotiation whatsoever.

First came the huge compensation.

Then the General Administration sent personnel to Yaoque to supervise.

If anyone else had spoken to Changming today, it would have easily escalated into a dispute and then a full-blown conflict. But with Director Yan, it was a natural progression, leaving no room for refusal.

While Lu Jian was lost in thought, Changming had already stood up, his long sleeves fluttering as he walked towards the door.

"The road is difficult."

Lu Jian heard Yan Ju call out.

Lu Jian quickly snapped out of his daze: "Director Yan, I'm here."

Director Yan remained seated, turning his head to look at her: "Did you hear the agreement we just discussed?"

Lu Jian immediately replied, "Yes. The information department will draft it into an official document right away."

Yan Shi: "Yes. At the same time, notify the finance department and hope that the allocation of funds for this compensation will be strictly monitored."

Her eyes were cold: "I don't want any more accidents to happen."