Chapter 212 Exclusively published on Jinjiang Literature City: Didn't you want my supplies? Run...
【Am I getting too old to understand human speech?】
A brain is a good thing, but unfortunately, the other person doesn't seem to have one.
[What a piece of trash! You expect me to give you supplies for free? Do you think you're the streamer's dad?]
The person stirring up trouble in the live stream was still talking to themselves, while the viewers were making sarcastic remarks.
If only one or two people say it, they're probably just out of their minds, and there's no need to take it too seriously.
However, people from all directions echoed the sentiment, some even with obvious inflammatory undertones, causing those who initially had no opinions to waver, which was quite strange.
Something's not right! I think I smell a conspiracy!
Is this some kind of scheme orchestrated by someone surnamed Zhao?
[What nonsense! Who else could it be but him?]
The atmosphere around the stall grew increasingly strange. Just as the people were wondering whether they should continue exchanging supplies, someone suddenly shouted, "The Prefect is here!"
Lu Xuan looked past the crowd and, sure enough, saw a large group of government officials, led by Liu Wenchi, walking towards them.
Lu Xuan's lips curled into a smile as his gaze fell on Prefect Zhao. His timing was perfect.
"What are you all doing gathered here?" Judge Zhao asked sternly, looking at the surrounding crowd. "What's all this noise about? Are you inciting a disturbance?"
Immediately, someone in the crowd shouted, "Sir, we're not causing trouble, we just..." The speaker then brought up the rhetoric he had just used: "Gods should be selfless and give away supplies for free."
Liu Wenchi, Zhang Tongzhi, and others: "???"
Who told you that gods are like this?
Do the gods owe you something?
Those present were all seasoned veterans of officialdom, and they were well aware of these people's ulterior motives.
It's nothing more than the proverb "a little kindness is appreciated, but too much kindness breeds resentment." Upon discovering that Lu Xuan possessed a large amount of resources, they became greedy.
After learning about the situation, Judge Zhao frowned, seemingly somewhat troubled.
Here we go again, that guy surnamed Zhao is still putting on an act, he's definitely going to start taking sides and leading the charge in morally blackmailing the streamer!
Don't panic. The streamer has no morals anyway, he won't get away with it.
Lu Xuan: "..."
Surprisingly, Magistrate Zhao did not take sides. Instead, he sternly rebuked the crowd, saying, "Nonsense! Young Master Lu has already shown you immense kindness by providing you with a large amount of supplies. How can you be so greedy!"
"Although the government has indeed incurred a large debt for this batch of supplies, and will have to hand over nearly half of the harvest to Young Master Lu for the next six months, that is the government's business. You do not need to contribute any supplies, yet you are still so greedy and insatiable. You are truly ungrateful ingrates!"
Live stream viewers: ???
[What's going on? Has this guy surnamed Zhao gone mad? Why is he even defending the streamer?]
Could it be that we've misunderstood him? Maybe he's just ugly, but actually kind-hearted?
[Perhaps he realized the importance of the anchor after being warned by the prefect, and suddenly came to his senses?]
Lu Xuan glanced meaningfully at Zhao Tongpan, who seemed to be on his side, and sneered, "Haven't you heard of the saying 'a weasel paying respects to a chicken'?"
Liu Wenchi and the others also frowned, noticing that Zhao Tongpan's expression was not pleasant.
He kept hurling insults, calling people greedy and insatiable, and even accusing them of being ungrateful. While the logic behind his words was sound, most of the people present did not share his sentiments. Yet, Magistrate Zhao seemed to be launching a general attack on everyone.
Didn't you see that the faces of the people, who were initially only slightly wavering, turned black?
With Lu Xuan's reminder, the audience also noticed the change in the people's expressions and suddenly realized what was going on.
He's deliberately being sarcastic!?
Every accusation involved the streamer; it was purely a deliberate attempt to incite hatred against the streamer.
How insidious!!!
Sure enough, as soon as Judge Zhao finished speaking, the crowd not only did not quiet down, but became even noisier, with the people who had been silent before starting to grumble and complain.
"The greenhouse is so big, how can the government office have enough people to cultivate the land properly? They still need our help to cultivate it. How can working not count as contributing?"
"Since Young Master Lu has no shortage of supplies, why does he still want to take the harvest from the greenhouse? He's already so rich, why does he still want to exploit us who can't even get enough to eat?"
"Is such a selfish person really a god?"
Zhao Tongpan pretended to reprimand them a few more times, then turned to Lu Xuan with difficulty and said, "Young Master Lu, don't blame them. They were just scared of starving and made a mistake."
After saying that, he sighed, "As the saying goes, when the nest is overturned, no egg remains unbroken. What they say does have some truth to it. Of course, I am not asking you to hand over the supplies for free, but... there are a large number of people in the city, and the government is in a difficult position. If we could reduce the debt of the heating industry, or lower the price, and then provide more supplies to reassure the people, wouldn't that be the best of both worlds?"
Lu Xuan gave a soft chuckle.
I don't see the best of both worlds, but I can tell you're dreaming.
Liu Wenchi was so angry at Zhao Tongpan that he laughed.
Does Zhao Chengzhi think he's dead and overstep his bounds to cause trouble like this?
It seems the other party didn't take his previous warnings to heart at all.
Liu Wenchi took a deep breath, his eyes sharp, and opened his mouth to reprimand.
Lu Xuan laughed first, his tone cool: "Another batch of supplies? What if I don't give them to you? Are you planning to just rob me?"
Seeing Lu Xuan's seemingly all-knowing, mocking gaze, Prefect Zhao's heart skipped a beat. Then, a feeling of displeasure at being offended by a commoner welled up within him. He spoke in an official tone, "Young Master Lu, you misunderstand. I merely—"
Lu Xuan smirked, "If you want to snatch it, then try."
As soon as he finished speaking, he began to slowly rise into the air to everyone's astonishment. Six or seven thick vampire vines suddenly sprouted behind him and waved, while a mini tornado appeared out of thin air in his left palm.
He grabbed into the air and pulled out the few troublemakers from the crowd, enlarging the mini tornado and throwing them into the air along with it.
The group was instantly swept into the tornado and spun around inside.
"Aaaaaah—!"
"Help—my life!!!"
As terrified screams echoed through the air, the crowd below, which had fallen into a deathly silence since Lu Xuan took off, was suddenly jolted awake.
"ah--!"
"monster--!"
"Flying, it's flying!"
The people on the street were so frightened that they scrambled out of the street. Some of the more timid ones collapsed to the ground, their legs giving way, crying out in terror, "No, don't kill me! Great Immortal, spare my life! I didn't want to take your supplies!"
Liu Wenchi, Zhang Tongzhi, and the others were also startled by Lu Xuan.
Li pinched himself hard, his expression a mixture of horror and disbelief: "Am I dreaming? How can he fly? He's flying!"
Without a hoverboard under my feet or the flying artifact I used to ride into the city, I just flew up into the air out of thin air!?
And what are those giant vines? Is this some kind of divine intervention? They look so sinister!
Liu Ziming was equally shocked, yet at the same time felt a sense of expectation.
Lu Xuan naturally couldn't let all the audience leave.
Several vines were lashed down in front of the fleeing people, leaving several thick whip marks more than a meter deep on the ground with a series of loud 'bangs'. The powerful force sent dust flying.
"Cough cough cough—"
The people coughed repeatedly from the choking, and when they finally managed to clear the dust from their eyes, they were frozen in place, too terrified by the horrific whip marks.
Lu Xuan spoke in a low, devilish voice: "Didn't you want my supplies? Why are you running? I'm right here. As long as you have the ability, you can have as much nutrient solution, salt, sugar, bio-suits, or even personal space as you want. Don't you really want it?"
The expressions on everyone's faces were worse than if they were crying.
Even the best supplies are useless if you're still alive!
Having barely survived all sorts of natural and man-made disasters, they were unwilling to rush into something dangerous when they had already seen hope.
Those who had just been incited to complain were filled with remorse, slapping themselves repeatedly and kneeling on the ground to admit their mistakes.
"Young Master Lu, Immortal Lu, we were wrong, please spare us! We were just misled by what others said. I swear we will never covet your supplies. Please spare our lives!"
Lu Xuan did not make things difficult for the common people who were being used as pawns. His gaze was fixed on Zhao Tongpan, who was lying on the ground with a pale face.
"Didn't Magistrate Zhao want my supplies? Why is he just sitting there without moving?"
Judge Zhao's face trembled violently, and his lips quivered for a long time before he could utter a complete sentence, "No, I..."
Liu Wenchi looked at the few people who were almost silent in mid-air, suppressed his fear of the giant vines, stepped forward, and said in a forced calm tone: "Young Master Lu, please calm down. What Magistrate Zhao said is not what the government wants. I have no objection to the transaction method and price. Please do not misunderstand, and do not act impulsively."
"Young Master Lu, could you please release those people first? I will give you an explanation after I have thoroughly interrogated them."
Lu Xuan glanced coldly at Liu Wenchi and remained silent for a long time.
Zhang Tongzhi, Liu Ziming, and the others couldn't help but feel anxious, worried that the other party might be completely enraged by X and turn against them.
Fortunately, a moment later, Lu Xuan moved his fingers slightly, and the people caught in the tornado were thrown out, and the tornado was also dispersed.
The officials breathed a sigh of relief, and Zhang Tongzhi even secretly wiped the sweat from his brow with his sleeve.
Controlled by gravity-related abilities, although the impact caused several of their bones to break and they were so dizzy they were foaming at the mouth, they were still breathing.
Lu Xuan glanced at them and said indifferently, "No need to trouble the government office, I will ask myself."
Soon, several vampire vines wrapped around the arms of the incapacitated individuals and lifted them up.
The person being lifted up trembled with fear but was too weak to struggle, and could only mumble a plea for mercy: "I was wrong, I was wrong, please, let me go..."
Lu Xuan's expression remained unchanged; he simply activated his supernatural ability and asked, "Who sent you to spout such nonsensical nonsense?"
The leader, who was hiding among the group, was initially hesitant about whether to speak, but before he could figure it out, his mouth seemed to have a mind of its own and he spoke up: "Yes... Magistrate Zhao."
Liu Wenchi and the others were taken aback.
It wasn't because of this answer that was already expected, but rather... that the other party so easily revealed the person?
Even if Lu Xuan's formidable strength is terrifying, those who have committed crimes are always cunning and good at sophistry, so how easy is it for them to confess?
Judge Zhao was both shocked and furious, exclaiming, "I didn't! It's slander, it's slander!"
He's not stupid; why would he personally handle such a thing?
Lu Xuan continued to ask the person who had spoken, "Did he personally instruct you?"
The man's eyes were filled with panic, but his mouth still kept babbling uncontrollably: "No, no, it's because I followed the people who came to us for help and found out that they were from the family of the steward's wife in Lord Zhao's mansion."
Judge Zhao, his face pale, loudly protested, "I have many things to attend to in this government office. I don't know what my subordinates have done on their own. I didn't know they would target you. It has nothing to do with me!"
The surrounding people calmed down a bit after Lu Xuan didn't attack them. Now, listening to the confession of the person being held by the giant vine, those who were quick-witted realized that Zhao Tong was not innocent.
Why would the housekeeper's family target Lu Xuan for no reason? It must be their master who ordered them to do so!
With a wave of his hand, Lu Xuan sent a bloodsucking vine flying with its sharp tip to block Zhao Tongpan, who instinctively tried to run away. The tip mercilessly pierced into the man's skin.
Magistrate Zhao was so frightened he dared not move, his eyes filled with terror: "No..."
Lu Xuan stared at him with deep, unfathomable eyes, an invisible supernatural power coiling around him, and asked, "Is it really none of your business? Didn't you send them to stir up trouble and create public opinion, trying to get something for nothing?"
Judge Zhao opened his mouth as if to deny it, but the words that came out were: "I didn't... I did it."
Others: "!!!"
He actually admitted it so easily?
Lu Xuan: "What's the reason? Is it to obtain more resources for the people? Is there no selfish motive?"
"How could that be!" Judge Zhao blurted out, "The goods that the Prefect has traded are enough for the people in the city to eat and use, and there is even a surplus that can be distributed to other towns in the surrounding area. The Prefect personally supervises the distribution of goods every time. If I don't find a way to get more goods, how can I find an opportunity to embezzle them?"
After hearing Zhao Tongpan's confession, Liu Wenchi was furious: "You bastard!"
Zhang Tongzhi shook his head secretly, while the people at the scene were filled with righteous indignation.
If Judge Zhao had truly gone astray for their sake, that would be one thing. But to think that he was only after his own benefit from beginning to end, causing them all to suffer in fear, what a corrupt official!
Lu Xuan looked at Liu Wenchi and said, "The Prefect has heard everything. I wonder how the Prefectural Government plans to explain this to me?"
Liu Wenchi's face was full of apology and shame. "It was my lax governance that caused Young Master Lu to suffer. Young Master Lu, rest assured, Judge Zhao almost caused internal strife due to his own selfish desires. I will not tolerate this and will certainly—"
"What is this thing!?"
Halfway through his sentence, Chu Ming's shocked and wary voice suddenly came from the air, followed by an exclamation: "Young Master Lu, you can fly—!?"
Lu Xuan glanced back at Chu Ming, who had dared to approach on a hoverboard. Chu Ming's gaze shifted between Lu Xuan's feet and the highly noticeable vampire vine, his expression a mixture of wariness, shock, and suspicion.
Chu Ming quickly noticed that something was wrong with the situation below and frowned, saying, "What exactly happened? Can someone explain this to me?"
"Let me explain," Liu Ziming stepped forward and succinctly explained what had happened.
Upon hearing this, Chu Ming's face immediately darkened.
He glared at the dejected Zhao Tongpan, "Fine! I knew it! Why did you come over and say those ambiguous things to me before the welcoming banquet? So you were after Young Master Lu's supplies and wanted to take advantage of me?"
With a serious expression, Chu Ming said to Liu Wenchi, "Young Master Lu has been kind to Luochuan, but this Zhao fellow has repaid kindness with enmity. He must be severely punished! Otherwise, even if Young Master Lu has something to say, this general will not let it go!"
His soldiers would shed blood to protect the people, but there was absolutely no reason for them to die for the greed of others.
The strange giant vine that Lu Xuan showed off looked extremely dangerous. If he were to be fooled and dragged into this, he would probably be skinned alive.
The people, terrified by the blood-sucking vines and tornadoes, couldn't help but shout, "Drive the corrupt official out! We don't want to be implicated by him!"
"No, kill the corrupt official! So he won't offend Immortal Lu again!"
"Get them out! Get them out!"
"Kill him! Kill him!"
The people looked at Magistrate Zhao with hostility and disgust.
Judge Zhao, filled with shock and rage, shouted, "Shut up! All of you shut up! You bunch of unruly commoners! I am an official appointed by the imperial court! Even the prefect has no right to kill me!"
Lu Xuan scoffed: "Many government officials have died in natural disasters, one more won't make a difference."
Magistrate Zhao: "!!!"
Lu Xuan said to Liu Wenchi, "Don't let me see him again, otherwise next time I will skip Luochuan and choose other cities that are more sincere in their cooperation."
The faces of the common people and officials like Liu Wenchi changed.
Liu Wenchi said seriously and quickly, "Young Master Lu, rest assured! Zhao Chengzhi will never appear in front of you again!"
Judge Zhao panicked completely. "No, you can't do this to me! I—"
Liu Ziming covered the rest of the conversation with his hand, and then called two constables to drag the man away to prevent him from saying anything inappropriate that might implicate them.
The viewers in the live stream were somewhat reluctant to leave after the mastermind was taken away.
[Is that all? Aren't you worried that after you leave, the officials will let the Zhao family off the hook again?]
Not appearing in front of the streamer might just be a way of getting rid of them.
I agree. It's more reassuring for the streamer to do it themselves. If you don't nip it in the bud, it'll just grow back!
Lu Xuan watched as Magistrate Zhao was dragged away, and said coolly, "Don't worry, he won't survive."
The vampire vines pierced Zhao Tongpan's skin not only to prevent him from escaping, but also to inject venom.
No matter how Liu Wenchi decides to deal with Zhao Tongpan, anyone who tries to take his supplies will only face death.
·
After Judge Zhao left, Lu Xuan put away the blood-sucking vine and landed back on the ground.
Liu Wenchi ordered the constables to take away the few people who had received the instructions. Seeing that Lu Xuan had no intention of making things difficult for the other people, he reassured them and let them disperse.
During this time, Chu Ming walked up to Lu Xuan and couldn't contain his curiosity, asking, "What's the deal with that giant vine? Zhao doesn't seem like the type to willingly expose his schemes, so how did you get him to confess?"
"Also, how can you fly if you're not using a flying skateboard?"
Just as Lu Xuan was about to reply, the communicator rang first.
Upon seeing the caller's name, Lu Xuan's expression became even more intriguing.
He looked up at Chu Ming and said, "It's a call from General Huo."
Chu Ming said, "So it's General Huo calling. You can answer it first... Wait, who did you say?"
Chu Ming couldn't help but grab Lu Xuan's wrist, glaring at him and saying, "Who called?!"
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Author's Note: If anyone feels the beginning of this chapter doesn't connect well with the previous one, it's because I added a short paragraph at the end of the previous chapter XD. Feel free to glance back at the end of the previous chapter if needed. [doge]
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