Seeing But Disregarding
Apart from Sun Yu, Lecheng indeed had another Deputy Administrative Chief. This was no secret in Lecheng, and Bai Xue naturally knew of this Deputy Administrative Chief's existence.
"Good, I'll go take care of it. Do you need me to dispose of this person's corpse? " Bai Xue looked at Sun Yu's body and asked Yang Haoran.
"No need. It's quite cool on the ground; he can just lie there," Yang Haoran said with a smile.
After Bai Xue left, Yang Haoran smoked a cigarette, his face deep in thought, his mind unknown.
In less than ten minutes, Bai Xue returned to the villa, bringing another person with her.
This person was a woman named Zhu Rong, who appeared slightly older than Sun Yu, likely around thirty.
Compared to Sun Yu's handsome appearance, Zhu Rong's looked very ordinary. Already lacking in striking looks, and with not a trace of makeup on her face, she appeared even plainer.
However, this so-called ordinariness only applied to her appearance. The aura she exuded was anything but ordinary; it was a unique temperament that no common person could possess, one that could only be cultivated through long years spent navigating the official circles.
Although she recognized the brutally murdered person on the floor as Sun Yu, Zhu Rong's expression remained unchanged. She merely glanced at Sun Yu's corpse before withdrawing her gaze and looking at Yang Haoran.
"Soul-Sower Yang, long time no see."
Before Yang Haoran could speak, Zhu Rong's face broke into a smile, and she greeted him with an air neither humble nor arrogant.
"Long time no see. Deputy Administrative Chief Zhu has truly become more beautiful with time," Yang Haoran said with a smile.
"Soul-Sower Yang, please don't tease me. With my meager looks, I wouldn't even have trouble walking alone at night. Becoming more beautiful with time — I truly wouldn't dare claim such a thing," Zhu Rong said with a chuckle.
"Deputy Administrative Chief Zhu, you're far too modest. With your inherent elegance, you'd become the center of attention anywhere you go; it would be difficult not to attract the opposite sex. Ah, look at me, so busy admiring your demeanor that I forgot to invite you to sit first. How rude of me! Please, please, please, do sit down. Let's chat leisurely once we're seated."
Yang Haoran spoke with a smile, then hurriedly motioned for Zhu Rong to sit down. The seat he offered Zhu Rong was precisely where Sun Yu had been sitting before.
"Since Soul-Sower Yang extends the invitation, I shall respectfully obey," Zhu Rong said with a smile.
Zhu Rong spoke with a smile, then walked towards the seat Sun Yu had previously occupied. However, Sun Yu's corpse lay directly in front of the seat, blocking her path.
"Heh heh, my apologies. I'll immediately dispose of this troublesome trash, lest it inconvenience Deputy Administrative Chief Zhu," Yang Haoran said with a chuckle. The "trash" he referred to, of course, was Sun Yu's corpse.
"Soul-Sower Yang, you're too polite. There's no need for such trouble," Zhu Rong said with a smile.
Zhu Rong spoke with a smile, her steps not faltering as she spoke. By the time her words fell, she was already beside Sun Yu's corpse.
She did not stop her steps, nor did she choose to walk around; instead, she simply treated Sun Yu's corpse as if it were nothing, stepping directly on Sun Yu's frightened, shriveled face as she walked towards the seat Yang Haoran had left for her.
Throughout the entire process, Yang Haoran maintained a smile. Even when Zhu Rong stepped over Sun Yu's corpse, his expression did not change in the slightest.
As for Bai Xue, she wore a mask, so her expression was not revealed, and outsiders could not discern her current feelings.
After Zhu Rong sat down in Sun Yu's former seat, she spoke first, before Yang Haoran could utter a word.
"Soul-Sower Yang, to be frank, I need your protection. I need to leverage your strength and that of your Underworld Office."
Zhu Rong spoke straightforwardly. Not only Bai Xue, who had just returned to her seat, but even Yang Haoran showed a hint of surprise on his face.
However, this hint of surprise lingered on Yang Haoran's face for only an instant. Soon after, his expression returned to normal, and a faint smile reappeared on his lips.
"Heh heh, it's always pleasant dealing with intelligent people."
Yang Haoran spoke with a smile, but he said only this one sentence, offering no further remarks, as if waiting for Zhu Rong to continue.
Zhu Rong understood Yang Haoran's meaning. She did not keep him waiting. As soon as Yang Haoran's words faded, she immediately began to speak.
"As for the Administrative Chief position, I believe that if I were to occupy it, I would undoubtedly perform better than the previous Administrative Chief. And my cooperation with Soul-Sower Yang would also reach an unprecedented new level."
Hearing this, Yang Haoran smiled as he looked at Zhu Rong. Zhu Rong did not continue speaking, instead waiting for Yang Haoran's reply.
"I wonder if Deputy Administrative Chief Zhu would mind if I smoke a cigarette? " Yang Haoran asked with a smile.
"Of course, no problem at all. While I don't smoke myself, I find smoking men to be the most charming," Zhu Rong said with a smile.
"Heh heh, Deputy Administrative Chief Zhu, you're truly humorous. I quite like that," Yang Haoran said with a smile.
Yang Haoran spoke with a smile, then took out a cigarette, lit it, and took a deep drag. Zhu Rong did not rush him, but waited with a smile for Yang Haoran's reply.
"Deputy Administrative Chief Zhu, you must have said the same things to other factions, haven't you? " Yang Haoran did not directly agree or deny Zhu Rong's request, but instead posed this question.
Zhu Rong hesitated slightly, then nodded towards Yang Haoran.
"Heh heh, Deputy Administrative Chief Zhu is indeed a straightforward person, not trying to conceal anything at all," Yang Haoran said with a smile.
"Soul-Sower Yang, you jest. With your capabilities, how could I possibly hide anything from you? Since I know I can't deceive you, of course, I wouldn't be so foolish as to be cagey and secretive. If I were to displease Soul-Sower Yang, wouldn't all my efforts be for naught?"
Zhu Rong responded with a smile. Her words trailed off, and she paused briefly before continuing to speak.
"To be honest, even if Soul-Sower Yang hadn't asked Spirit Police Bai Xue to come find me today, I would have shamelessly paid a visit myself. Since Soul-Sower Yang took the initiative to invite me, I couldn't have asked for more. Thus, without a second thought, I immediately followed Spirit Police Bai Xue over."
Bai Xue, who had remained silent, couldn't help but retort upon hearing Zhu Rong's words.
"I, Bai Xue, am no longer a Spirit Police officer. This was your Administrative Council's decision. Has it only been a few days and you've already forgotten?"
Zhu Rong detected the dissatisfaction and resentment in Bai Xue's tone. She showed no hint of awkwardness, simply smiled, and responded.
"The one who made that decision was the deceased Administrative Chief. At that time, Lecheng was under his charge, and I could only offer suggestions regarding his decisions. The final authority was always in his hands. So, please don't blame me for this matter, as it was not my intention."
Bai Xue snorted coldly and said nothing more, while Yang Haoran turned to Zhu Rong with a smile and asked.
"Since Deputy Administrative Chief Zhu has already approached other factions, I wonder what the results were, and if they met your satisfaction?"
Zhu Rong's face showed hesitation; she did not immediately answer Yang Haoran.
"Heh heh, Deputy Administrative Chief Zhu just said it yourself: knowing something cannot be concealed yet insisting on hiding it might ultimately lead to all efforts being for naught. This matter is no secret; I could simply inquire outside and obtain the information I desire," Yang Haoran said with a smile.
Hearing this, the smile on Zhu Rong's face was no longer as light and effortless as before; a hint of bitterness had crept in.
"Soul-Sower Yang is right; this matter truly cannot be hidden from you. Although I haven't had the chance to visit every other faction individually, I have approached three, but none yielded the desired outcome. Our Lecheng Administrative Council is no longer the Administrative Council it once was. They are unwilling to waste too much time on us because the effort and reward are disproportionate. It's already an immense blessing that they haven't kicked us while we're down and can occasionally offer symbolic support to our Administrative Council. To expect them to fully protect our Administrative Council is very difficult."
Zhu Rong's words revealed a profound sense of helplessness. Although she held the esteemed position of Lecheng's Deputy Administrative Chief, the enemies she faced were simply too numerous, and her own power was very limited. Thus, a deep resignation festered within her heart.
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