559: Chapter 560 Demanding Justice

However, about an incense stick's time later, a figure came scrambling back to the entrance of the quiet room.

The patrol officer sent by Patrol Envoy Zhang was pale as a sheet, his forehead covered in cold sweat, his eyes shifting nervously as if he had run into something filthy.

"Clang!"

The door was slammed open by his impact, and the noise caused Patrol Envoy Zhang to frown.

Looking up, he saw the patrol officer looking panicked and disheveled, and his face immediately darkened.

He slammed his hand heavily on the desk, his voice laced with suppressed anger.

"Panicking like this, what kind of decorum is this!"

If outsiders saw this, they would think Patrol Envoy Zhang was incompetent at managing his subordinates!

The patrol officer trembled at Patrol Envoy Zhang's scolding and quickly straightened up, though his legs could not stop shaking.

He opened his mouth, his voice trembling with a hint of a sob, and spoke incoherently.

"M-my Lord... that Wang Chan you sent me to investigate... he, he..."

Patrol Envoy Zhang frowned even tighter and scolded sharply.

"Speak properly! What happened to him?"

The patrol officer shivered, then took a deep breath, as if using all his strength to utter the words.

"My Lord, we made a mistake. He is not a Spirit Official; he is... a First-Rank Upper Origin Nine Qi Heavenly Official!"

As soon as the words left his mouth, Patrol Envoy Zhang's hand stiffened, and his expression froze instantly.

After a few moments of silence, as if confirming he hadn't misheard, Patrol Envoy Zhang spoke slowly, his voice laced with a dryness he didn't even notice.

"What did you say? Say it again!"

The patrol officer repeated it, his tone now filled with fear.

"Reporting to you, my Lord, that person is a First-Rank Upper Origin Nine Qi Heavenly Official. We cannot investigate him!"

"First-Rank Upper Origin Nine Qi Heavenly Official" was the general term for a Heavenly Official.

The reason the patrol officer was so nervous was that he had committed a taboo!

A subordinate did not have the authority to investigate a superior.

If the other party found out, it would be considered overstepping, and if pursued, it would lead to severe consequences.

Because he had been eager to achieve merit, he hadn't paid attention to these details and had recklessly led people to block the door.

Who could understand the despair of bursting in aggressively, only to see a majestic figure with a jade belt around his waist, cloud-walking shoes on his feet, holding a Heavenly Official's divine Talisman in his left hand and a jade ruyi as clear as blue water in his right?

The patrol officer and the men he brought were nearly scared to death, and in his heart, he hated Patrol Envoy Zhang for providing false intelligence.

Damn it, if you want me dead, just say so, don't beat around the bush!

Although he had cursed Patrol Envoy Zhang to high heaven in his mind, he remained extremely respectful on the surface.

"My Lord, I have achieved merit for you, I have shed blood for you, you must save me..."

He spoke more and more urgently, growing more and more afraid, a fine layer of cold sweat seeping from his forehead, his voice trembling.

But Patrol Envoy Zhang did not answer immediately.

His hand unconsciously picked up the teacup on the desk, but he did not drink from it right away.

His hand just hovered in mid-air, the teacup tilted slightly, and the tea spilled over the rim, dripping onto his clothes, yet he remained completely unaware.

A moment later, he slammed the teacup onto the desk with a dull thud, splashing tea everywhere.

"Heavenly Official? How could he be a Heavenly Official!"

His voice rose sharply, unable to suppress the surging emotions.

Damn it, yesterday this person was still a Second-Rank Spirit Official, and overnight he became a Heavenly Official?

If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, it would be hard to believe this fact.

However, despite the cursing, Patrol Envoy Zhang actually knew the truth clearly in his heart.

He was probably more aware than anyone why the other party's official rank could change so drastically in such a short time.

However, when his thoughts reached this point, he became angrier the more he thought about it.

This Power Of Faith was all borrowed through his hard work!

And the result? He took the fruits of his labor and ascended to the heavens in a single step!

What was this? Working hard to make wedding clothes for someone else, only to end up doing all that work for nothing!

Seeing Patrol Envoy Zhang's intense reaction, the patrol officer shrank to the side, not daring to interject, only wishing he hadn't grown ears to hear things he shouldn't have.

Fortunately, after Patrol Envoy Zhang scolded for a while, he gradually calmed down.

Although his breathing remained heavy and his face was somewhat flushed, as if he were struggling to suppress something.

Patrol Envoy Zhang tapped his fingers on the desk twice, and a moment later, he suddenly frowned slightly.

"Something is wrong."

He suddenly realized a blind spot; he had just been busy with Life Qi and had overlooked a realistic problem.

That money alone could at most push his official position to the level of a Primary Official, which was still a long way from being a Heavenly Official.

Although the amount of Power Of Faith he borrowed was massive, the amount required for a Heavenly Official was no small sum!

Wang Chan definitely did not have that much Power Of Faith.

So the question arose, how did he become a Heavenly Official?

Patrol Envoy Zhang's eyes flickered, and a thought surfaced.

Perhaps this guy went to borrow again; could it be Divine Path Credit again?

Hmm, that made sense; it was just using loans to support loans, using a First-Rank Primary Official's official seal as collateral to borrow a considerable amount of Power Of Faith to meet the threshold for a Heavenly Official.

Thinking of this, Patrol Envoy Zhang slowly unclenched his fist, and the gloomy expression on his face gradually loosened.

"Heh..."

Patrol Envoy Zhang suddenly let out a low laugh, laced with a hint of irrepressible mockery.

"As expected, a dog can't change its habit of eating excrement."

He leaned back against the chair, picked up the cup of spirit tea that had already gone cold, took a sip, and his tone even held a hint of relief.

Although he had been played and suffered a significant loss this time, thinking about it carefully, Wang Chan wouldn't be doing much better.

Moreover, the other party's tragic end was already doomed.

Those banks outside might be wary of his current status as a Heavenly Official and not dare to push too hard, but the interest from Divine Path Credit was not so easy to default on.

Patrol Envoy Zhang put down the teacup, his eyes filled with a bit of schadenfreude.

What kind of thing was Divine Path Credit?

That was a place directly managed by the Tianbao Treasury; who under the Divine Court would dare to default on a debt?

Even taking a step back, even if there was someone truly stubborn, that would just be treating themselves as a resource, adding bricks and tiles to the construction of the Divine Court.

The more he thought about it, the more relaxed Patrol Envoy Zhang became, as if he had finally found an outlet to vent his frustration.

"It's just a pity about so much Power Of Faith; if it had been given to me, I would have soared to the heavens long ago."

He shook his head, his tone filled with a mix of regret and mockery, along with a hint of barely perceptible jealousy.

At this moment, the patrol officer on the side was still a bit nervous, shrinking his neck and asking in a low voice.

"Then, my Lord, what should we do next?"

Although that Heavenly Official had not held it against him at the time and had even gently sent their group of disrespectful offenders out, the patrol officer always felt that the other party did not have good intentions...

"What are you panicking about!"

Patrol Envoy Zhang slammed the teacup down heavily and glared at him.

"No matter how much of a Heavenly Official he is, he is just a newly appointed one. Do you think the Divine Court is run by his family?"

"Besides, I, Patrol Envoy Zhang, have worked in this Heaven Inspection and Earth Observation Department for so many years, could I really be manipulated by an outsider?"

He snorted coldly, his tone filled with a bit of disdain.

Although this person was indeed two ranks higher than him, in this Divine Court, who didn't have some connections behind them?

Did he really think I, Patrol Envoy Zhang, am a loner?

Moreover, he is now plagued by trouble, owing such a huge amount of Power Of Faith; is it something that can be repaid just like that?

That is simply a bottomless pit that cannot be filled.

Even if he has been promoted to a Heavenly Official, it cannot change this fact.

So now, it is better to remain still than to act; instead of racking his brains to deal with the other party, it is better to do nothing and just wait to watch the show.

When the time comes, without them needing to make a move, someone will naturally deal with him.

After hearing this, although the patrol officer was still a bit uneasy, seeing Patrol Envoy Zhang's confident appearance, he didn't dare to say anything more.

Just at this moment, a burst of hurried footsteps suddenly came from outside the door.

A gate-keeping petty official ran in quickly, stood at the door, and reported while panting,

"My Lord... a team of people has broken in outside! They say they are from the 'Heavenly Punishment Inspection Department' and want to see you!"

Patrol Envoy Zhang frowned, and before he could speak, a middle-aged man dressed in dark black official robes strode in.

His face was thin, his gaze as sharp as a knife, and a token with gold characters on a black background hung at his waist, swaying gently with his steps.

Behind him, dozens of patrol officers, also dressed in dark black official robes, filed in, their boots sounding in unison.

They stood in two rows on both sides of the main hall, hands on the hilts of their swords at their waists, their gazes sweeping coldly over everyone present.

Their eyes were calm and restrained, and although they didn't speak, the atmosphere of the entire quiet room suddenly became heavy.

Those deputy patrol officers who had originally wanted to crowd around to watch the excitement retreated one after another, as if forced back a few steps by an invisible Aura, even their breathing becoming lighter.

Patrol Envoy Zhang's face also darkened.

He recognized that token, and he also recognized the face of the person who had arrived.

He stood up, his tone filled with obvious dissatisfaction.

"Wen Ruhui, what is the meaning of this? Who allowed you to break into the Heaven Inspection and Earth Observation Department without authorization?"

He deliberately emphasized the words "Heaven Inspection and Earth Observation Department," as if to remind the other party that this was his territory.

The middle-aged man called Wen Ruhui stopped, turned around, and his gaze landed calmly on Patrol Envoy Zhang.

He was not angered by Patrol Envoy Zhang's questioning, his tone even carrying a business-like seriousness and detachment.

"Lord Zhang, offended, but we also received a report saying that you abused your power, engaged in illegal lending, and used others' official seals as collateral to obtain Power Of Faith from multiple private loan banks."

His voice was not loud, but it clearly reached the ears of everyone present.

His words were like a stone thrown into still water, stirring up ripples, and the expressions of the several deputy patrol officers around changed, their gazes involuntarily looking at Patrol Envoy Zhang.

It was not that they felt Patrol Envoy Zhang had gone too far.

After all, this kind of thing was not particularly strange to them, but how could such a thing be brought out into the open!

He couldn't even clean up his own mess, and he implicated their "Heaven Inspection and Earth Observation Department" in the shame!

Waste!

As Patrol Envoy Zhang was swept by those gazes one by one, his face turned from green to white.

He certainly knew what this Wen Ruhui was talking about, but he was not panicked at all.

Patrol Envoy Zhang estimated that it was just that group of people, Manager Zhou, who had sensed something wrong and wanted to go back on their word.

But they couldn't come directly to him, as this was not something that could be brought to light.

So they beat around the bush and sent these people to cause him trouble, wanting to take back this Power Of Faith, but not only had he not received this Power Of Faith, even if he had, it would be impossible to return it.

After all, although he was the one who borrowed the money, the official seal used as collateral was not his, so what did that have to do with him, Patrol Envoy Zhang?

Therefore, he was now righteous and confident.

So Patrol Envoy Zhang laughed coldly.

"Heh, simply ridiculous! I, Patrol Envoy Zhang, have worked in the Heaven Inspection and Earth Observation Department for so many years; I know very well what should be done and what should not.

Since you say someone reported it, then bring out the evidence."

The more he said, the more righteous he became, and his tone hardened a bit.

"Without evidence, that is slander! When the time comes, I will definitely report it upwards and charge you with the crime of 'trespassing on an official office and framing a colleague'!"

He almost roared the last sentence, as if trying to use his voice to rattle the other party's footing.

After listening to his angry rebuke, Wen Ruhui's face showed no fluctuation.

He just looked at Patrol Envoy Zhang quietly, and only after he finished roaring did he speak, neither fast nor slow.

"Lord Zhang, no need to get angry. If there wasn't ironclad evidence, would we have rushed here?"

Patrol Envoy Zhang's breathing stalled slightly, a trace of unease passing through his heart, but he quickly suppressed it.

He was certain that he had not left any handle in this matter.

Although he was the one who handled the borrowing of that money, the official seal used as collateral was Wang Chan's from beginning to end, and it had nothing to do with him, Patrol Envoy Zhang.

Even if they chased the debt to the heavens, it couldn't be counted on his head.

So he sneered, his arrogance even more rampant.

"If you have evidence, bring it out; if you don't, get out, otherwise don't blame me for being impolite!"

Wen Ruhui glanced at him, did not retort, and just nodded.

"Lord Zhang truly does not shed tears until he sees the coffin. Since that is the case, then don't blame us for being impolite."

As soon as the words fell, he slowly reached out his hand.

Patrol Envoy Zhang thought the other party was going to attack at the first disagreement, so he immediately surged his Divine Power, preparing to respond.

However, he discovered that Wen Ruhui just took something out from his sleeve.

It was a dark golden Talisman, about three inches long and two inches wide.

The surface of the Talisman was as smooth as water, with faint, subtle spiritual light swimming on it.

Fine spiritual light flowed along the edges, and in the very center was an ancient seal character — [Heaven Inspection].

And when that Talisman appeared, the expressions of the several deputy patrol officers around changed.

Some widened their eyes and gasped, and some even subconsciously took half a step back, as if they had seen something terrifying.

"That is... 'Taixiao Heaven Inspection and Earth Observation Direct Talisman'?"

"How could it be in Wen Ruhui's hands?"

"That Aura... how is it exactly the same as Lord Zhang's official seal?"

Muffled exclamations rose and fell in the crowd.

Patrol Envoy Zhang's pupils also contracted sharply the moment it was taken out.

Others recognized it, and he naturally would not be unfamiliar with it!

The patterns on the entire Talisman were almost identical to the "Taixiao Heaven Inspection and Earth Observation Direct Talisman Envoy" official seal on his own body, and even the arrangement of the fine runes on the edges was no different.

But how could this thing have fallen into Wen Ruhui's hands?!

Wen Ruhui gently held up the Talisman and displayed it in the direction of Patrol Envoy Zhang, his tone still flat, but the corners of his mouth slightly raised.

"Lord Zhang, do you have anything else to say now??"