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The procuratorate system of Dayu followed a strict hierarchy. The Supreme Procuratorate coordinated procuratorial departments across the nation, High Procuratorates oversaw provincial affairs, and Local Procuratorates handled municipal matters, organized in clearly defined tiers. The entire system comprised more than twenty thousand prosecutors. They operated independently of the Security Department, local governments, and the judicial system, answering directly to the Royal Family. Although a High Procurator-General was merely a fourth-rank official, their standing was sufficient to sit on equal footing with a provincial governor. At that moment, in the Tiannan High Procuratorate. Having worked tirelessly the entire day, Xia Wuyuan arrived back in Tiannan's provincial capital ahead of Yaoguang. Carrying a dossier compiled through the night, he entered the office of the Deputy Chief Procurator and met the second-in-command of the Tiannan High Procuratorate—Zhou Tianqiao. After finishing the materials Xia Wuyuan had put together overnight, the Deputy Chief Procurator set them down. "Sir, according to my investigation, Yulong International is merely a front. There is someone backing them," Xia Wuyuan said in a grave voice. "We went through their cargo manifests... several thousand people! In just one year, thousands of people vanished into Yulong International! Such actions are utterly depraved! We must conduct a thorough investigation. We cannot let those criminals remain at large!" "Investigate? Naturally we must investigate." Zhou Tianqiao looked at his capable subordinate. "However, the commotion you stirred up at Yulong International was simply too great. Even the governor has inquired about it. If word leaks out, the fallout would be severe, disrupting the harmonious and stable image of our Tiannan Province." Xia Wuyuan was taken aback for a moment, then hurriedly said, "Sir, while it might cause some fallout, if we turn a blind eye..." "Don't get agitated. You misunderstand my meaning." Zhou Tianqiao raised a hand, cutting off Xia Wuyuan's protest. "The duty of our Procuratorate is to oversee local malcontents and unlawful acts. Now that we know a hidden mastermind lurks behind Yulong International, how could we abandon the matter halfway? It is only that this is a matter of great gravity, and we still require more evidence..." "I can gather more evidence!" Xia Wuyuan stated resolutely. Zhou Tianqiao looked at him, recognizing his unyielding determination. He sighed inwardly and softened his tone. "You may investigate, but do so quietly, in secret. You must not alert the mastermind behind the scenes, lest our efforts come to naught." He continued, "As for public opinion, this matter must be suppressed as quickly as possible. It does no good for ordinary citizens to know too much. If handled poorly and the families of the victims cause an uproar, it could easily snowball into mass unrest. What would we do then? They have already lost their closest kin and family; we can hardly lock them up and detain them, can we? In everything we do, people must come first." The Deputy Chief Procurator spoke with earnest solemnity. Hearing this, Xia Wuyuan gradually calmed down. He also understood that public exposure would create enormous shockwaves and inflict massive negative repercussions on the local government. If things got out of hand, it could trigger an earthquake across Tiannan's officialdom. But if they kept covering it up... "Xia Wuyuan!" Zhou Tianqiao called out sharply. "Present, sir. Awaiting orders." Xia Wuyuan immediately snapped to attention. "Since you have confidence and conviction, I will entrust this case to you. Act in secret, and make absolutely certain you drag out the mastermind behind the Yulong International affair. Do you dare accept!?" "I dare!" Xia Wuyuan said firmly. "Good!" Zhou Tianqiao nodded slightly. "To avoid startling the snake, the Procuratorate cannot take any major action to support you. You can only rely on yourself, and your operations must minimize fallout as much as possible... If it were anyone else, I would have reservations and doubt their ability to complete such a perilous mission, but you are different." Looking at Xia Wuyuan, he smiled. "You are Tiannan's finest fighter—first place in the annual marksmanship contest every year, first in cross-country physical conditioning, hailed as the Martial Paragon, and the Chief Prosecutor of our Tiannan Procuratorate. I believe you will unearth those hidden masterminds and bring them to justice." "Thank you for your trust, Deputy Chief. Leave it to me; I will not disappoint you." Xia Wuyuan gave a heavy nod. "Good. Truly worthy of the Martial Paragon's demeanor." Zhou Tianqiao smiled. "If you can truly crack this case and root out this malignant tumor lurking within our Tiannan Province, you can take your pick of leadership posts across the Procuratorates of Yunmeng City, Longxiang City, Shanlong City, and the rest. The merit from this will make you more than qualified to occupy any of those seats." With a few more words of encouragement, he dismissed Xia Wuyuan. Xia Wuyuan took his leave. Once through the doorway, despite appearing vigorous after an all-nighter, a hint of exhaustion showed in his eyes. He glanced back at the closed office door and exhaled softly. Yet soon, resolve returned to his gaze. So what if he lacked additional manpower? A Grandmaster! One man could stand as an army, slay every foe, and breach a city! *** "We've arrived in Tiannan's provincial capital," Caiyun announced from behind the wheel. Yaoguang glanced out the window. Before him stretched surging crowds, heavy traffic, and towering skyscrapers. "Ever since the nationwide initiative to bolster provincial capitals was introduced sixteen years ago, Tiannan's capital has grown by leaps and bounds," Su Yaoyu explained, deliberately providing context knowing Yaoguang paid little heed to such details. She wanted to prevent him from appearing completely ignorant before the patriarch and losing standing in his eyes. "Even though Tiannan is a major exporter of population, over the past decade or so, the capital's population has risen from over four million to more than eight million, fully doubling. The influx of people brought an immediate takeoff in economic prosperity. Today, the capital's GDP has surpassed six hundred billion." "Six hundred billion." Yaoguang looked out. If that six hundred billion were given to him... How much experience would his [Merchant] class gain? If transferred to his [Martial Artist] class, wouldn't it shoot directly up to the fifth or even sixth tier? The car continued forward. Soon, it pulled up before a forty-nine-story building. Xingyu Center. Although it was not the tallest tower in Tiannan, its position at the absolute heart of the Hexi New District made it one of the district's most prestigious landmarks. The car drove down into the basement garage. They took the elevator straight to the tenth floor. Buzhou Group's headquarters occupied the eighth, ninth, tenth, and thirteenth floors of the building. The tenth floor was reserved entirely for company executives. As Su Yaoyu and her party entered, several people greeted her. She acknowledged them one by one, then arranged for Caiyun and Lin Xiaowei to wait in a lounge. She, meanwhile, guided Yaoguang further inside. Just as they were about to enter an office area, an executive woman in her thirties with a mature, polished demeanor stepped forward. "Miss Yaoyu, the chairman is in a meeting and may need some time. Please wait in the lounge for a moment." "A meeting?" Su Yaoyu glanced at her watch. "Sister Lin, my appointment with Grandfather was for two-thirty in the afternoon..." "It is quite an important meeting, so the chairman is unavailable for the time being. As soon as it concludes, I will inform him right away," the woman surnamed Lin said. Seeing this, Su Yaoyu had no choice but to nod. Turning to Yaoguang, she said, "Let's wait first." The woman looked at Su Yaoguang, seemingly realizing something, and quickly smiled. "This must be Young Master Yaoguang? The chairman will be very pleased to know you've returned. Right this way, please." As she spoke, she led them into a lavishly decorated reception tearoom measuring fifty to sixty square meters. Shortly after, an administrative staff member in a women's suit brought in tea and pastries. "Buzhou Group's expansion in Tiannan has reached its peak. The next step is expanding beyond Tiannan to establish a nationwide presence, but we've encountered some complications with that strategic phase," Su Yaoyu said. "Grandfather has been extremely busy lately, sometimes even resting right here at headquarters. He genuinely cannot spare time right now, so please don't take it the wrong way, Yaoguang." "I understand," Yaoguang nodded slightly. The Su family patriarch, Su Chiming, was seventy this year. Over the past two years, he had attempted to step back and prepare for retirement. However, while his groomed successor, Su Huaigu, was a commercial prodigy, his authority and political finesse could not compare to Su Chiming's. Coupled with Buzhou Group entering a critical phase of nationwide expansion, a myriad of problems arose within a year or two of Su Huaigu taking over. Out of necessity, Su Chiming had to resume direct control over matters large and small. Su Yaoyu and Yaoguang waited. Barely ten minutes passed before Su Huaiyue arrived, guided by Secretary Lin, while Su Chiming was still nowhere to be seen. Seeing Su Huaiyue enter in formal business attire, Su Yaoyu quickly guessed the reason, her expression shifting slightly. "Yaoyu, Yaoguang." Su Huaiyue greeted them with a beaming smile, walking briskly toward Su Yaoguang. "It's been years, Yaoguang, and you've grown so big! Come, let your aunt take a good look at you." Yaoguang looked at her and gave a slight nod. He said nothing. He merely cast a glance outside. "It seems Patriarch Su already knows I've arrived. Only, in his view, having you sound out my attitude before meeting is more important. Is that it?" "Yaoguang, what are you saying? The moment your aunt learned you arrived, I dropped everything to come see you. I even prepared a gift I've been meaning to give you for a long time." As Su Huaiyue spoke, an assistant behind her stepped forward with a folder. "You don't have a place of your own in the capital yet, do you? These are the property rights to Villa Sixteen in Half Moon Bay. Consider it a welcome gift from your aunt." Average property prices in the provincial capital hovered around twenty thousand yuan per square meter. As an upscale villa community, acquiring a home in Half Moon Bay would cost well over ten million yuan. "No rush," Yaoguang said with a slight pause. "Since Patriarch Su already knows we are here and sent you to meet us, it proves his meeting is not as important as he claimed." His voice flattened. "In that case, invite him here. Let us have a proper discussion regarding cooperation." "Yaoguang, when you speak like that, your aunt gets a little displeased. How can you talk about your grandfather in such a tone..." Su Huaiyue frowned. "There is no need to be displeased just yet." Yaoguang waved a hand. "You feel that way because you think my status is not equal to Patriarch Su's. In that case, let us change to an equal status." He turned his gaze directly to Secretary Lin, who was waiting nearby. "Is a Grandmaster enough?"