Controlling the screws, Tang Shijiang hurled an entire carload of grain down alongside the tracks, then unloaded the rest of the grain, coal, clothing, medicine, sundries, and everything else from the train.
Once everything was unloaded, Brother Tang waved a hand. Two rivets flew over from the locomotive and darted into his embrace.
Those two rivets were the very reason the train had run out of control. With the rivets removed, the train began to slow down, and Tang Shijiang hopped off alongside Li Banfeng.
As they walked along the road, Li Banfeng studied this elder closely. From his speech and conduct, it was obvious he was Heishipo's local spirit.
Yet unlike other local spirits, even when Li Banfeng pushed his Golden Eyes Discerning the Minutest Detail to its limit, he couldn't detect the slightest trace of ghost fire on him.
This proved he wasn't an undead spirit; his physical body was still intact.
Reaching an abandoned factory, Tang Shijiang retrieved a parcel from beside a machine tool.
He opened the parcel to reveal two lunchboxes—one filled with rice, the other with dishes.
Tang Shijiang divided the rice and dishes evenly between them, handing one lunchbox to Li Banfeng. "Don't turn your nose up at it. Let's have a bite together."
Having worked on construction sites before, Li Banfeng felt an inexplicable fondness for lunchboxes.
There was only one pair of chopsticks, which Tang Shijiang gave to Li Banfeng, finding two twigs for himself to make do.
"Little brother, those bastards from the Outer States are probably going to spar with us for a while. We can't back down."
Li Banfeng nodded. "As long as you don't back down, Brother Tang, I'll fight them to the bitter end!"
Tang Shijiang laughed. "No need to worry about that. Ever since the day I was born, backing down was never in my vocabulary!"
According to Old Yao, Heishipo had originally been Grandpa Train's territory, which Grandpa Train later handed over to his disciple.
This Brother Tang had to be that disciple.
The two happily finished their meal, and Tang Shijiang handed Li Banfeng a box of screws. "Here, brother, take these. You might not be from my pathway, but these screws come in handy. They work wonders if you use them as hidden weapons."
Li Banfeng didn't actually lack hidden weapons, but since Brother Tang was offering them, he naturally couldn't refuse.
Brother Tang added a word of caution: "Those bastards from the Outer States are practically starving. Their eyes are turning green with hunger. They're bound to use force, and they'll probably resort to dirty tricks too.
"Open robbery is nothing to fear. Heishipo is a place with guts. If you see something like that go down, you don't need to step in—in fact, make sure you don't.
"What worries me are their underhanded tricks. An open spear is easy to dodge, but an arrow in the dark is hard to guard against. You'd better be extra careful."
...
Tang Shijiang was right. Throughout the Garrison Office, from top to bottom, everyone's eyes were practically turning green with hunger.
The canned goods were gone, the biscuits were gone, and they had been counting on this trainload of grain. Instead, something went wrong with the train, and not a single grain was brought back.
The next day, Cheng Mingke held an important meeting at the Garrison Office. He delivered an address in which he mentioned the word "awe" nine separate times.
He wanted Puluo Province to feel awe toward the Garrison Office, awe toward the Garrison Commissioners, and above all, awe toward him, the Chief Garrison Commissioner.
During the speech, several people fainted from hypoglycemia, which greatly displeased Cheng Mingke.
"We've only been in session for five hours, and already these people can't sit still. This is a classic failure of willpower and character."
His secretary, Tong Lingzhu, said, "Commissioner Cheng, quite a few of them haven't eaten all day. Collapsing is a physical limitation..."
"Don't give me your objective excuses! Look for reasons within their subjective attitudes! Look at the Vice Commissioners. Has a single one of them fainted?"
Tong Lingzhu fell silent for a moment before looking up at Cheng Mingke. "That is because the limited food in the Garrison Office was all given to the commissioners. Of course they won't faint after eating their fill."
Cheng Mingke stared at Tong Lingzhu in shock. He had previously thought highly of this beautiful and capable secretary, never imagining she would dare talk back to him today.
Tong Lingzhu had been holding back for a long time. This newly appointed commissioner had zero understanding of the situation in Heishipo.
She had only just learned the truth about his background today: not only was he ignorant of Heishipo, he barely knew anything about Puluo Province either.
This was his first posting in Puluo Province, and he was mindlessly applying methods from the Outer States to Heishipo.
Cheng Mingke burned to lash out. Had this been in the Outer States, he would have dressed this insolent secretary down until she questioned her entire existence.
Yet he didn't curse today, because Tong Lingzhu kept her eyes fixed on him.
When a subordinate looks you dead in the eye, it is best to keep your emotions in check—that was a lesson he had learned over many years.
He turned around, picked up his teacup, and gazed out the window with his usual detachment.
He dismissed Tong Lingzhu. He couldn't keep using her after this; he would find an opportunity to have her transferred away.
Worried about running out of food? Worried Heishipo would spiral out of control?
With her shallow vision and lack of finesse, she was fundamentally unfit for the job.
On top of that, she refused to obey orders. No matter how capable or beautiful such a person was, they could never be entrusted with important responsibilities.
Cheng Mingke immediately issued an order directing Du Zhaohui, the commissioner in charge of logistics, to take men and procure grain.
This time, the instructions were unequivocal: by any means necessary, they had to bring grain back. He even assigned two fifth-tier cultivators to accompany Du Zhaohui.
The stance was unmistakable. Du Zhaohui had no choice but to force the purchase; otherwise, he wouldn't be able to accomplish the mission.
Yet in a place like Heishipo, strong-arming a purchase was far from easy.
The grain shop owner summoned all his clerks, grabbed weapons, and faced off against Du Zhaohui right at the shop's entrance.
In both cultivation and equipment, the gap between the two sides was vast; the shopkeeper's men were nowhere near a match for the Garrison Commissioner.
Yet the grain shop owner showed no fear, and not a single one of his workers shrank back.
Onlookers gathered from all around, their gazes turning toward the shop owner.
The owner called out to the crowd, "My humble shop has been open here for decades, and I thank you all for your patronage over the years!
"Today, we have no grain left, yet someone insists on forcing a purchase, driving me to put this old life of mine on the line!
"Having lived to my age, even if I end up dead right here today, I've had a good run! I only ask the young and old of our neighborhood to bear witness! If anyone asks in the future, speak a word of justice on my behalf!"
As the crowd grew larger, Du Zhaohui grew more and more nervous.
His subordinates tried to push the people back, but it was useless—no one paid any heed to their shouting.
Seeing that matters were about to boil over, a cultivator beside Du Zhaohui stepped up. Named Chen Yusheng, he was a fifth-tier Martial Cultivator.
He was a clever man who knew how to read the situation.
Driving the crowd away was unrealistic right now. The most effective approach was to swiftly take down the central figure of the confrontation—the grain shop owner.
The strike had to be stealthy, giving the target no warning.
The action had to be decisive, preventing any stalemate that might erupt into a brawl, which would blow things completely out of proportion.
The blow had to be ruthless. Once the owner was down, he needed to be beaten half to death on the spot so he couldn't even scream, instantly cowing the rest into silence.
Chen Yusheng slipped noiselessly behind the shop owner, his eyes narrowing.
Li Banfeng reached out from beside him, grabbed him by the hair, and slammed Chen Yusheng into the dirt.
The strike was indeed stealthy—Chen Yusheng truly hadn't noticed a thing.
The action was certainly decisive—the moment he pinned him, Li Banfeng started kicking.
The attack was definitely ruthless, though Li Banfeng's idea differed slightly from Chen Yusheng's: he used his feet instead of his fists.
The moment Li Banfeng acted, the grain shop owner joined in, and all the spectators watching the commotion jumped in as well.
They had endured this for far too long.
Li Banfeng kicked Chen Yusheng first. When Chen Yusheng struggled to get up, Tang Shijiang kicked him back down to the ground.
"Brother," Tang Shijiang murmured under his breath, "didn't I tell you not to get involved?"
Li Banfeng landed another kick. "I'm barely involved. Just here watching the fun."
Tang Shijiang delivered another kick. "Don't worry, they can handle this themselves."
The two kicked with such ferocity that after just a few blows, the breath was nearly knocked out of Chen Yusheng.
Meanwhile, Du Zhaohui was swarmed, his situation rapidly deteriorating.
There was still a body cultivator beside Du Zhaohui, effortlessly shielding him from behind. "Let's see which of you dares step forward!"
Brother Tang marched up, slammed the body cultivator to the ground, and said to Li Banfeng, "Come on."
The two chatted as they kicked the body cultivator.
"Brother, get out of here first. Leave this to me."
"Whatever you say, Big Brother."
Li Banfeng threw in two more kicks and left the grain shop.
...
At dusk, a battered and bruised Du Zhaohui came to report to Cheng Mingke. Still, no grain had been procured.
Cheng Mingke placed the teacup on his desk and asked Du Zhaohui, "Where are the guards I assigned to you?"
"Both were severely injured. They're being treated in the infirmary."
"Two fifth-tier cultivators injured? There's more to this. Someone extraordinary is involved!
"Fu Botai's disappearance is connected to these people! Dig three feet into the earth if you must, but find them!
"Assemble all the dark energy users in the Garrison Office! Have every Vice Commissioner not out on field duty lead the squads! Go to that grain shop first, bring back the rice, and bring back everyone from the shop!
"For this rabble to act so brazenly, they must be acting on orders. Conduct strict interrogations tonight—we must have answers!
"If any uninvolved bystanders took part, treat them as accomplices and haul them all back to the Garrison Office!"
As Cheng Mingke issued his orders, Du Zhaohui stared at him in utter bewilderment.
Cheng Mingke frowned. "What are you waiting for? Move out immediately!"
Du Zhaohui asked, "Commissioner Cheng, you're not coming?"
Cheng Mingke glared at him, and Du Zhaohui quickly scrambled out of the office.
The sun was on the verge of setting. Cheng Mingke stood by the window looking at the scenery outside, maintaining his usual air of detachment and composure.
He picked up his teacup and took a sip just as Tong Lingzhu pushed open the door and entered.
Cheng Mingke frowned slightly. He didn't turn around, but in the glass's reflection, he saw Tong Lingzhu.
Entering without even knocking? Who spoiled her into thinking she could behave like this?
Cheng Mingke turned around, set down his teacup, and prepared to use this opportunity to teach Tong Lingzhu a proper lesson.
Tong Lingzhu said, "The Garrison Director-General has arrived."
The teacup wasn't set down securely and crashed to the floor. Leaving the cup where it fell, Cheng Mingke hurried out the door to greet the Director-General.
How strange. When did the Director-General arrive? Why hadn't there been any word beforehand?
Just as he reached the doorway, the rotund Garrison Director-General, Liao Zihui, walked right in with a warm, cordial smile.
Cheng Mingke hurriedly told Tong Lingzhu to make tea, but Liao Zihui waved his hand. "Don't trouble yourself. I'll only be staying a moment. Little Tong, go attend to your duties. I have a few words for Mingke in private."
Tong Lingzhu left the office. Liao Zihui sat on the sofa and said to Cheng Mingke, "Mingke, you're new to working in Puluo Province. There must be many things you're not used to, eh?"
There was more to those words than met the ear. Having clawed his way through the ranks for so many years, how could Cheng Mingke fail to catch the underlying tone? He hurriedly explained, "Director-General Liao, a small situation arose in Heishipo, but I've already handled it promptly..."
Liao Zihui nodded. He already knew how Cheng Mingke had handled things, yet he offered no comment.
"Mingke, when conducting business in Puluo Province, one cannot be too hasty. I don't know if you've read the newspapers lately, but rumors are running rampant. Many reports link us with the Jiangxiang Gang, and some even tie us to human traffickers. The repercussions are terrible."
"Those are all unfounded rumors. We have always maintained a clear boundary with the Jiangxiang Gang," Cheng Mingke replied, fully prepared for this. "The press spreading those falsehoods has already been shut down by my orders."
Liao Zihui fell silent for a moment before asking, "Mingke, you can shut down the press in Heishipo, but can you shut down every newspaper in all of Puluo Province?"
Cheng Mingke weighed his words carefully before answering, "Director-General Liao, I believe strict measures are precisely what these unscrupulous rags deserve."
Liao Zihui sighed. "You are still too impetuous. How about this: pack your things and come with me to Lüshui City. I have some work there that requires your assistance."
Cheng Mingke froze for a moment. "Leaving Heishipo at a time like this... wouldn't that be inappropriate?"
"Mingke, someone else has already been arranged to take over your duties here in Heishi City."
Cheng Mingke shook his head. "Director-General, I don't understand. Exactly where have I failed in my duties?"
Liao Zihui chuckled. "This decision was also made with your personal safety in mind. Your dossier claims you are a second-tier dark energy user, but as far as I know, you've only just reached the first tier, haven't you?"
Cheng Mingke's expression didn't waver. Among Garrison Commissioners, inflating one's cultivation tier was hardly uncommon. Neither admitting nor denying it, he replied with a composed air, "I believe that a person's combat prowess and their executive ability bear no necessary correlation. I believe..."
"You believe?" Liao Zihui's smile vanished, and his tone lost its gentleness.
Cheng Mingke realized he had misspoken. Before the Director-General, certain phrasing required careful consideration.
Liao Zihui asked, "Do you have any idea how formidable Puluo Province truly is?"
Cheng Mingke paused to deliberate, adjusting his wording: "It is my view that their so-called strength is merely superficial. In substance..."
"Enough!" Liao Zihui cut him off. "It doesn't matter that you don't know how formidable they are. What matters is that we cannot let them know it themselves.
"If you keep fooling around like this, they're going to figure it out soon enough."
PS: During the battle between Lu Chunying and Lu Maoxian, Liao Zihui once made an appearance; he was the one who brought that vicious fight to an end.
Chapter 366