Walking out of the gates of the Garrison Commandant’s Office, Zeng Jihe felt as if he were in a dream. Thinking about how he had followed Chen Ping’an out, he couldn’t help but feel a pang of regret.

Though it hadn’t been his intention, the act of leaving with Chen Ping’an had undoubtedly offended Constable Zheng.

At this thought, a pained expression appeared on Zeng Jihe’s face.

"What? Regretting it already?" Chen Ping’an remarked, having noticed Zeng Jihe’s expression. ’To be honest, his reaction is perfectly normal. Here at the Nanquan Alley Town Patrol Office, who would dare to offend a Constable?’

Zeng Jihe didn’t answer. Right now, he just felt like crying.

"If you regret it, you can still go back now," Chen Ping’an said with a smile.

At Chen Ping’an’s words, Zeng Jihe’s expression grew even more pained. ’How can I possibly go back now? All I can do is see this through to the bitter end.’

After a glance at Zeng Jihe, Chen Ping’an said nothing more and started walking toward Tiger Run Lane.

As they were walking, about halfway there, Zeng Jihe couldn’t hold back any longer.

"Master Chen, how are you not nervous at all?!"

"Why should I be nervous?" Chen Ping’an asked in return.

Uh...

Zeng Jihe was stunned. ’What kind of question was that? Isn’t it obvious?!’

He chose his words carefully before speaking cautiously. "Master Chen, you’ve completely offended Constable Zheng! This is a disaster! If we can’t collect the Tiger Head Gang’s donation silver today, then what Constable Zheng said about severe punishment... well..."

Zeng Jihe didn’t finish, but his meaning was clear enough.

"Then all we have to do is collect the donation silver, and the matter will be settled," Chen Ping’an said nonchalantly.

Seeing Chen Ping’an’s matter-of-fact expression, Zeng Jihe was at a loss for words.

...

Tiger Run Gambling Square.

"We’re here." Chen Ping’an glanced up at the gambling square’s sign and then led Zeng Jihe inside.

"Lord Officials, Lord Officials, hold on! Please wait!"

Several ruffianly servants from the Tiger Head Gang came to meet them, and their leader, a man with triangular eyes, spoke up.

Dressed in the Black Clothing of the Garrison Commandant’s Office, Chen Ping’an and Zeng Jihe were impossible to miss.

"What’s wrong? Are we not allowed in?" Chen Ping’an asked without breaking stride, continuing straight inside.

"Not at all, Lord Official. Of course you can enter! We’d just like to know what esteemed business brings you here."

Those posted at the entrance to a gambling square were all shrewd characters. His tone was exceedingly polite, but his intention was clearly to block Chen Ping’an’s path.

"Since when do I have to report my business to a ruffianly servant like you?!" Chen Ping’an snapped, striding forward with Zeng Jihe.

"Lord Official, Lord Official, just state your business, and I’ll pass on the message. That’s the procedure. Please don’t try to force your way in!" The triangle-eyed servant narrowed his eyes, his tone gaining a hard edge as he physically blocked Chen Ping’an’s path.

An order had come down from on high: if a constable from the Garrison Commandant’s Office arrived, they were to be announced according to standard procedure and absolutely not be allowed to enter directly.

’They want to come in and discuss the donation silver? How could we let them in without a little show of force first?’

’Even if questions are asked later, the Tiger Head Gang will be in the right! And taking it a step further, even if the Garrison Commandant’s Office wants to pursue the matter, the Tiger Head Gang has countless ways to shift the blame.’

"Move," Chen Ping’an said, his eyes fixed on the ruffianly servant blocking his path.

"Lord Official, please don’t make things difficult for me," the triangle-eyed servant said, standing his ground fearlessly before Chen Ping’an. The other servants also drew closer, forming a loose circle around him.

’I have to admit, openly blocking a constable from the Garrison Commandant’s Office like this... it feels pretty damn good!’

’With orders from the higher-ups, we have nothing to fear!’

’If anything goes wrong, the bosses will handle it!’

SHIING!

Facing the ruffian before him, Chen Ping’an wasted no more words, drawing his saber directly from its sheath.

The saber, forged from refined iron, glinted menacingly in the sunlight.

The ruffianly servant blocking Chen Ping’an’s path froze, utterly stunned by the sight of the drawn blade.

This...

When a constable from the Garrison Commandant’s Office solemnly drew his saber, very few ruffians actually possessed the courage to resist. The reputation of the Garrison Commandant’s Office was deeply ingrained in the public’s mind. No one dared a direct confrontation; they certainly weren’t brave enough to start a rebellion.

"Out of the way!" Chen Ping’an, saber in hand, struck the ruffianly servant’s shoulder with the flat of the blade. The man cried out in pain and involuntarily stumbled aside.

Chen Ping’an shot him an indifferent glance and strode forward.

Zeng Jihe followed behind, his face a picture of astonishment.

He found that he could figure Master Chen out less and less.

But he had to admit, he liked this style!

’Master Chen, what a badass!’

Seeing Chen Ping’an step directly into the gambling square, the ruffianly servants exchanged a look. The triangle-eyed servant gritted his teeth and hurried after him.

As Chen Ping’an and Zeng Jihe entered the gambling square, they immediately drew a great deal of attention.

The Black Clothing of the Garrison Commandant’s Office were, after all, extremely conspicuous.

"It’s constables from the Garrison Commandant’s Office! What are they doing here?"

Some of the gamblers sized them up with curiosity. These were the confident ones, mostly well-to-do and considered successful among the common people.

But there were also the more timid gamblers, their hearts pounding with unease, who deliberately tried to make themselves scarce.

’I hope they’re not here to make trouble!’

Chen Ping’an moved through the gambling square, heading deeper inside.

"Lord Official! Lord Official!"

The triangle-eyed servant called out, chasing after him.

Chen Ping’an stopped abruptly. The triangle-eyed servant nearly crashed into him.

"Lord Official." The triangle-eyed servant forced a fawning smile onto his face.

Low-level gang ruffians like him were classic bullies: they preyed on the weak and feared the strong.

The moment Chen Ping’an showed his strength, their bravado had vanished. ’If I had followed their rules, stated my purpose, and let them announce me, they would have looked down on me in their hearts.’

’Today, I’m here representing the Garrison Commandant’s Office to collect the donation silver. That means I have to be forceful! Not just that, I have to be forceful to the very end!’

’If I want to collect all the donation silver in one go today, I have to ride the momentum! I’ll use the authority of the Garrison Commandant’s Office to keep the Tiger Head Gang guessing and cut this Gordian knot once and for all!’

’Presence is a zero-sum game. When you’re strong, your opponent naturally becomes weak!’

"Who’s the Steward here?"

"In reply to the Lord Official, the one in charge of the gambling square is a Protector of our Tiger Head Gang, Big Steel Fang—Lord Ya!" the triangle-eyed servant said carefully.

Chen Ping’an naturally had some knowledge of the Tiger Head Gang’s leadership. Young Master Xiao Hu, the adopted son of Gang Leader Master Hu; Big Steel Fang, also known as Lord Ya; and Tornado Wolf, also known as Master Lang. Together, these three were known as the three great Protectors of the Tiger Head Gang.

Aside from Young Master Xiao Hu, the other two had reached the Qi Blood Third Layer of the Martial Arts Realm.

A Realm of that level was high enough to qualify for the position of Constable in the Nanquan Alley Town Patrol Office.

"Good! Then tell him to come out and see me!"

"Lord Official, about that..." The triangle-eyed servant hesitated. ’Lord Ya has a fiery temper. If I deliver the message like that, I’ll probably be beaten half to death!’

Just as the triangle-eyed man hesitated, a sharp, drawn-out voice drifted over from nearby.

"Make this Protector come out to see you? You’ve got some nerve, Lord Official!" 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

Chen Ping’an turned to see a middle-aged man with a round face, a buzz cut, and protruding teeth emerge from a side door deeper inside the gambling square. Several ruffians and thugs followed behind him.

It was the Protector of the Tiger Head Gang: Big Steel Fang, Lord Ya!