“Knock, knock, knock.”
Zhou Zhilu knocked on the door gently.
"Enter."
A slightly hoarse female voice came from inside the door.
Zhou Zhilu pushed the door open and went in.
There was a wooden table in a room filled with various books, and behind the wooden table was an open wooden window.
A tall woman in a red robe stood in front of the window.
As he turned around, a mature and intellectual face appeared in front of Zhou Zhilu.
"Please take a seat. My name is Xiao Wenlan, the head of the Monster Appraisal Department. You can call me Minister Xiao."
Zhou Zhilu nodded and carefully found a chair to sit down.
I didn’t expect that Minister Xiao looks so young and beautiful... What are you waiting for, Brother Tu?
Moreover, the head of the subsidiary business department is a third-rank official!
Even the prefect of the capital city has to call him "Sir" when he sees him.
Seeing Zhou Zhilu's cautious look, Xiao Wenlan chuckled and said, "Don't be nervous. I'm looking for you here mainly for two things.
"One reason is that Ah Qing asked me to take care of you before he left. I also wanted to see what someone Ah Qing would find desirable looks like... I just didn't expect to have to pull you out of jail on our first meeting."
Zhou Zhilucan smiled and scratched his head.
"But the good thing is that besides my people, there are others who also tried to rescue you. Going to jail is nothing. Being able to get out after going in is a real achievement."
Zhou Zhilu nodded in agreement. In this world centered on power and authority, there was a lot of gray mixed between black and white.
Xiao Wenlan then looked at Zhou Zhilu and continued, "As for the second matter, you should understand why Ah Qing took Qingxue on this mission, right?"
Zhou Zhilu was silent for a moment after hearing this, then smiled bitterly and said, "To avoid trouble."
Xiao Wenlan nodded and said, "That's right. Don't you think it's unfair that he only took Qingxue away but not you?"
Zhou Zhilu shook his head. "You have to fight for fairness yourself. When I made that decision, I had no intention of involving Qingxue. I was prepared to shoulder the responsibility alone."
Xiao Wenlan smiled upon hearing this and said, "You're quite enlightened, but Ah Qing took Qingxue away not only to avoid trouble, but also for another purpose."
Zhou Zhilu looked at Xiao Wenlan in confusion.
"The Red Crystal incident is not a small matter. There are too many people involved in Yancheng County. If we take both of you away now, those people will think that there is something big going on and that they are letting you go to avoid you being dragged into the vortex.
"And if I only take one away and leave you, a newly joined member of the Night Guard, behind, those people will think this is a sign of compromise."
"I will bear their anger..." Zhou Zhilu murmured, and then suddenly realized the hidden meaning in Xiao Wenlan's words.
"So, Minister Xiao, what you're saying is... we're going to take drastic action against these people? And I was left behind to let them down their guard?"
Xiao Wenlan looked at Zhou Zhilu with admiration and smiled, "That's exactly what I meant. However, your role is more than that. Ah Qing said you're good at solving cases, so you're staying here not only to paralyze the other party, but also to get to the bottom of this case."
"Me?!" Zhou Zhilu pointed at himself in surprise and quickly advised, "Minister Xiao, please reconsider. The most prominent figure behind this case is a fourth-rank prefect. As a ninth-rank Fuye Guard, am I going to risk my life investigating? I think I can just be a paralyzing tool."
Xiao Wenlan raised his eyes slightly and said coldly, "That's not up to you. Precisely because you're a low-ranking official, others won't care if you investigate. At most, they'll think it's a joke that a stubborn young man who knows nothing about the world dares to challenge a giant."
Then a sneer appeared on his lips, and a cold light flashed in his eyes: "But who knows that this young man is carrying a peerless sword on his back? As long as he gets close to the giant, the sword will strike and chop off their heads!"
Zhou Zhilu couldn't help swallowing when he heard this.
Xiao Wenlan smiled and said, "You don't have to be so self-deprecating. I've heard from Ah Qing that besides being good at solving cases, you also have the special ability of seeing demonic energy. And it was you who discovered the red crystal in Yancheng County. You are the most suitable person to solve the case."
Seeing he couldn't refuse, Zhou Zhilu asked unwillingly, "Then... is there any way to protect my life? I'm only at the third level of cultivation. If someone sends a powerful assassin to assassinate me, I won't be able to stop them!"
Xiao Wenlan clapped his hands lightly.
A breeze blew through the room, and then two girls in gray clothes with their faces covered appeared on one side of the room and bowed respectfully to Xiao Wenlan.
"minister."
"They are both members of the Anbu. From today on, they are responsible for protecting your safety. In addition, during the investigation, you can freely use the Anbu to investigate the case-related information. Any other questions?"
Zhou Zhilu wiped the cold sweat from his forehead when he heard that and casually called upon the Anbu... He was even a little afraid that this young man would be scratched by the sword behind him.
After accepting the task, he communicated some details with Xiao Wenlan and prepared to say goodbye on the roadside.
Before leaving, Xiao Wenlan suddenly called Zhou Zhilu.
"Wait... do you have anything of Ah Qing's?"
Zhou Zhilu was stunned for a moment, then he took out a token from his pocket and asked, "Does Brother Tu's token count?"
Suddenly, from Zhou Zhilu's perspective, Xiao Wenlan's eyes seemed to turn into a heart shape, and he pounced on him in an instant.
Then his eyes blurred and his hands were empty, and he saw Xiao Wenlan standing calmly back in front of the table, holding the token in his hand and placing it on his chest.
"I want this token. In exchange, I'll give you my token. Even though it doesn't have any practical use, it can at least scare people."
My dear, there is more to this chapter. Please click on the next page to continue reading. It will be even more exciting later!
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