Lord of a Circuit

Lu Zhao and his companion drove out of the city center, following the nighttime neon lights into the Fangshi administrative building. The special investigation team's temporary office. At this time, the space had been converted into the team's new workplace. Originally, it had been established directly at the Ant Ridge border defense station, but after the failure of their last operation, the team had moved out of the station and chosen to base themselves within Fangshi proper. From here, they could oversee the overall situation and coordinate various municipal resources, while also making it convenient to mobilize forces from other departments. Lin Zhiyan rubbed the bridge of her nose and pushed the documents in her hand aside, bringing this long day of work to an end. "Senior Lu, in a situation like this, how did you manage to hold out for four years?" she could not help asking. Lately, Lin Zhiyan had experienced the "Lu Zhao treatment" firsthand. Whenever she attempted to take charge in Fangshi, she was immediately confronted with all kinds of obstruction. The clique headed by Martial Marquis Chen imposed a comprehensive blockade on the special investigation team. For instance, specific personnel were assigned to accompany and surveil the team, members were dragged out to drinking parties at night, and leadership from relevant departments missed meetings during the day without reason. There were even hoodlums throwing rocks at their office and writing threatening letters. Recently, a robber had fled. Lin Zhiyan received word early on, but issues arose when coordinating across departments. The first inquiry was met with "there are no definite leads yet"; the second with "we will handle this according to the overall deployment"; the third with "we have already taken action, but it was too late." First feign ignorance, second drag feet, third pass the buck. Lin Zhiyan had extensive connections and a prominent background, yet stepping onto someone else's turf, she discovered that unless a Martial Marquis came in person, no one's authority held sway. A mighty dragon could hardly suppress the local snake. Just as Lu Zhao had experienced, they did not need to break the law to trip you up. On another front, Lin Zhiyan also had to deal with insubordination within the team itself. The newly promoted deputy was a middle-aged woman. She walked over to Lin Zhiyan's right side, bowed slightly, and handed over a phone with both hands. "Team Leader Lin, Chief Liang is on the line." "Mm." Lin Zhiyan took the phone and said, "Hello, Uncle Liang." A deep, resonant voice came from the receiver. "I just wrapped up a meeting here. What made you think to call your Uncle Liang? Running into issues at work?" Liang Chengyun was Commander of the Nanhai West Circuit General Security Bureau, a senior-rank Federation official who oversaw the entire Nanhai West Circuit security system. He had also once been an adjutant to Lin Zhiyan's father. Lin Zhiyan got straight to the point: "There's a favor I'd like to ask, Uncle Liang." Liang Chengyun said firmly, "Speak freely. Whatever it is, your Uncle Liang will definitely help you." Lin Zhiyan said, "I need you to help me transfer someone—Lu Zhao, platoon leader of the reinforced platoon at the Ant Ridge border defense station." "..." Silence lingered on the line for a moment before Liang Chengyun's voice returned, tinged with helplessness. "I knew it. You either don't speak up at all, or the moment you do, it's big trouble. You should know all about what happened to Lu Zhao, right?" "Mm." Though Lu Zhao was an outstanding graduate of Dijing University, he was ultimately an ordinary commoner with no background. In the Nanhai West Circuit, the Chen family could crush him with a single finger. No matter how formidable one's talent was, sufficient backing was required to escort and protect it. The greatest illusion of ordinary people was believing that enough talent and hard work alone could change their fate. The Federation was never short on geniuses; there were plenty now, and there would be plenty more in the future. Lu Zhao had helped her once, so she would lend him a hand. If he developed well in the future, she would gain a capable friend. At the same time, it would also disgust the Chen family. Liang Chengyun said, "Since you know, don't put your uncle in a bind. Martial Marquis Chen ran things in the Nanhai West Circuit for twenty years. From top to bottom, everyone is his man. He only left office a year ago, and his lingering prestige is enormous." "Uncle Liang, you won't help me?" "My dear girl, it really isn't that I won't help you..." Lin Zhiyan hung up the phone. Her slender fingers quickly dialed another number. The call connected shortly, answered by a Federation internal hotline operator. "Please connect me to Martial Marquis Liu, Chief of the Nanhai Circuit Politics Council, Liu Hanwen." Standing beside her, the deputy swallowed hard. She knew her superior had immense backing, but this was taking it to an extreme. Reaching straight into the Circuit Politics Council—and to the Chief himself, no less. The Federation was comprised of thirteen Circuits, each retaining a high degree of autonomy, and the Circuit Politics Council held supreme authority over a Circuit. After the Cataclysm, each Circuit was akin to a feudal realm, and the head of the Circuit administration was effectively a regional king. The call was patched through, and an aged voice drifted out. The deputy instinctively held her breath. "Little Yan, what wind blew you my way?" "Grandpa Liu, I want someone: Lu Zhao, platoon leader of the reinforced platoon at Ant Ridge border defense station." Lin Zhiyan's voice took on a hint of playful affection. This was not a former subordinate of her father, but a friend of her grandfather. On the other end of the line, Martial Marquis Liu chuckled heartily. He did not ask why, nor did he inquire about Lu Zhao's identity or what trouble was involved. He gave only a concise reply: "I'll have someone see to it." Chen Qian could wield power for a minor indulgence, pinning Lu Zhao to the border defense station for four years. Lin Zhiyan could do the same, and with far greater indulgence. Chen Qian had only dared to secretly instruct her father's subordinates, whereas Lin Zhiyan went straight to a Martial Marquis. What was more, Lin Zhiyan followed proper procedure far more than Chen Qian had. Lu Zhao was stationed at a local border defense station, and the special investigation team already had the authority to reassign him. It was merely that someone else had broken the rules first. ----- It was already nine in the evening when Lu Zhao returned to his dormitory. As usual, he sat cross-legged refining spirit; whenever he had free time, he cultivated. In the morning, he took life supplements to refine qi into essence; at noon, he ate while visualizing the five senses; at night, he meditated to refine spirit straight through until the next day. After a while, Lu Zhao opened his eyes. He had hit a bottleneck in refining spirit. An inexplicable, indefinable sensation of blockage. "Time to see the teacher." Closing his eyes once more, he sank into the chaotic mental world, once again braving the psychic tsunami to step into the Primordial realm. Before him, wisps of green smoke drifted around the small Taoist temple. Lu Zhao walked inside. The old Taoist sat meditating with eyes closed, seemingly contemplating the Great Dao. Lu Zhao stood outside the doorway, waiting quietly. In the mental world, the flow of time was chaotic, yet the Primordial realm was wondrous—like a small world existing independently beyond reality. A consciousness body here felt no different from a physical body existing in reality. Lu Zhao did not need to use the Visualization Method here to generate the five senses. However, the old Taoist did not advise him to stay long. Because the five senses within the Primordial existed naturally, borrowing the power of a blessed land would only blind him with a single leaf. After a long while, the old Taoist slowly opened his eyes, his pupils calm as well-water. Lu Zhao cupped his hands in greeting. "Teacher." Seeing his somewhat unpracticed motion, the old Taoist smiled faintly. "Come in. No need to be formal." "Yes." Lu Zhao entered the Taoist temple and sat on a rush cushion. The old Taoist asked, "You appear quite pleased. It seems your career is sailing smooth waters." "Is it that obvious?" Lu Zhao touched his face; he wasn't smiling. "Not obvious, but spirit manifests in the outer form. That little skill of yours can't fool your master." Stroking his beard, the old Taoist smiled with smug satisfaction. "As the ancients said: relics of the Six Dynasties now lie lost in grass beneath the void; the pale sky and idle clouds remain unchanged from past to present. "How many things under heaven are all the same? This poor Taoist has seen far too much of it." Lu Zhao understood immediately: his teacher was curious about the specifics and was waiting for him to seek guidance. Just like an elder in the family, wanting to offer pointers on everything. He said, "There are some things your student doesn't quite understand." The old Taoist said airily, "Let's hear it."