Although he had previously learned from Xue Kai's mouth that Wang Heng's sister had admired Elder Deng in his youth, Lu Ding dared to assert, "Isn't it just because your sister unfortunately had an accident that you blame Elder Deng?"

For martyrs, Lu Ding held great respect, so he said, "Although I feel regret for your sister's death, and she is worthy of respect, this is not a reason for you to abuse public power for private ends and block Elder Deng's information."

"I know a bit about what happened back then. Whichever side was chosen, there would have been regrets, it wouldn't have been perfect, but choosing either side was not wrong!"

Wang Heng's emotions also flared up. Struggling to get up and fight back, he said, "But why couldn't he choose my sister!? My sister clearly liked him so much!!!"

*Thud!!!* 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

A kick sent Wang Heng, who had just managed to get up, sprawling back down. "Go to hell."

"Would you dare to tell me honestly, seriously, if Elder Deng ever gave even one sentence, or even half a sentence, of positive acceptance, or something ambiguous, indicating he accepted your sister's feelings!?"

Wang Heng instantly fell silent.

His silence was his answer.

No.

Not even half a sentence. Not even a single glance.

It had always been a clean, decisive refusal.

It was precisely because Lu Ding understood Elder Deng that he dared to ask this.

Moreover, workplace romance within the 749 Bureau, while not strictly prohibited by mandatory rules, was considered a major taboo in the heart of every investigator. If one didn't possess absolute dominance, both parties would be extremely busy and in constant danger, leaving no time to care for a family.

Under such circumstances, very few people chose to start a romantic relationship and form a family with a colleague.

Throughout his journey, Lu Ding had met many 749 investigators with families. For most of them, their spouses were not internal personnel of the 749 Bureau.

He grabbed Wang Heng's ankle again. "Since there was no acceptance, then colleagues remain just colleagues. What's this nonsense about workplace romance?"

"Joining the 749 Bureau requires resolve. The 749 Bureau provides channels, resources, and opportunities. Qi Refiners are only responsible for providing the personnel. The 749 Bureau won't forcibly assign tasks, but once an investigator accepts a task, they should be prepared for life and death to be determined by fate, and wealth and honor to be determined by heaven!!"

"Not like you, you bastard, blaming everyone the moment your sister died, as if someone specifically harmed her!"

"So, rejecting her feelings is wrong? In a choice, not choosing your sister is also wrong!?"

"Then if he *had* chosen your sister, and the Sin Dragon had charged into the sea, causing a disaster, killing tens of thousands of people, would that mistake also be for Elder Deng to bear!!!"

"If both choices are wrong, if everything is wrong, then why couldn't he choose to stop the Sin Dragon!!!"

"If you really had that much backbone, why don't you blame others? There were so many other people back then. Why didn't you blame the medical staff who tried to save your sister!?"

"Why don't you blame the King of Hell!!?"

"How did you even manage to come to the Second Circle through the 749 Bureau's ascension channel?"

"You should have resolutely resigned, displayed your stubborn madness, obstinately opposed the 749 Bureau, then I might have looked at you with some respect!!!"

Wang Heng was stunned by the verbal onslaught.

Every single word from Lu Ding stabbed right at his sore spots.

"If choosing anything is wrong, then why couldn't he choose my sister!!"

"Because Elder Deng is an investigator! He eats this bowl of rice! Protecting the nation and securing the people is his duty!!!!"

Perhaps Lu Ding couldn't achieve true selfless impartiality. His temper was relatively explosive, and sometimes he acted on impulse. But he respected every investigator who was dedicated to their duty and wholeheartedly served the public.

It was also for this reason that Lu Ding had to keep moving forward, keep improving, to ensure that at every moment, he possessed the strength and confidence to not have to choose, to have it all!

If you rely on a mountain, the mountain may collapse; if you rely on a person, the person may run away. Everything can only rely on oneself!

Wang Heng fell silent, directly giving up resistance, letting Lu Ding drag him out.

Xue Kai looked back at the others in the office. "Today's matter is to be kept confidential externally. Internally, you can discuss it as you wish, but you must not omit details, distort, or fabricate the facts. Afterwards, the disciplinary notice regarding Wang Heng's abuse of public power for private ends will be posted on the internal website."

With that, he followed them out.

Leading Lu Ding, who was dragging Wang Heng along the ground, they arrived at the detention room.

Lu Ding hurled the man into a corner.

*Bang!!!*

Lu Ding shut the heavy door, the knuckles of his fingers cracking as he clenched his fists.

Wang Heng leaned against the wall in the corner. "You... what do you want to do?!"

"I made a mistake. I'll accept the punishment, accept the investigation. It's not for a 749 investigator like you to meddle."

Lu Ding stepped forward. "What do I want to do!?"

"I want to teach you a lesson."

"In the office, beating you too badly would be an insult to the Review Office's dignity. But here, as a Review Office staff member who abused public power for private ends and used official position for personal revenge, you no longer represent the Review Office. You have tarnished the Review Office's impartiality!"

"And me, right now, I am also an investigator abusing public power for personal revenge. I don't represent the 749 Bureau either. I've even taken off my shoulder insignias. I represent only myself. The two of us are now separate, independent individuals. The only difference is, I am stronger than you!!!"

"In the natural world where the strong prey on the weak, right now, the strong will mercilessly trample the weak!!!!"

Lu Ding charged forward directly. The 'trample' he just mentioned now served as a forecast for his next move.

He started directly with a War Stomp.

Followed by a wide swinging punch, then a kick to the solar plexus, then a hard slap across the face, then a grapple and slam!

Then he picked up the interrogation table and just smashed it down!!!

Just hitting, just beating.

Xue Kai watched, his heart pounding wildly. Earlier, he had almost become a cautionary tale like this Wang Heng.

If he hadn't committed major errors, reined himself in at the brink of the precipice in time, confessed to receive leniency, resisted to receive severity, and hadn't crossed Lu Ding's bottom line, he might have ended up even worse than Wang Heng.

Although Lu Ding back then might not have been able to beat him, Xue Kai hadn't dared to fight back at the time either.

As for the current Wang Heng, he wanted to fight back, and dared to fight back, but simply lacked the capability to do so.

He was completely suppressed and brutally beaten throughout.

"Ow, ow, ow!" he cried out in agony.

Finally, unable to bear it any longer, he started begging for mercy.

"I was wrong, Lu Ding, I was wrong. Stop hitting me, you're going to kill me. Please, stop hitting me. I know I was wrong."

"Wrong!? Wrong your mother!? Where were you earlier!?"

"Don't worry, I won't kill you. You still have a prison sentence to serve. You've been consuming the Review Office's resources, using the Review Office's identity. Behind the generous treatment lies severe punishment for knowingly breaking the law, with the penalty increased and then dealt with even more severely. Before you rot in prison, you'll take this brutal beating from me first!!!"

If a 749 investigator commits a crime, the penalty is increased by one degree. The Review Office, as the department supervising the 749 Bureau, if its personnel commit crimes, face even heavier punishment on top of that increased penalty.

After all, the base treatment for the Review Office is much higher than that for 749 investigators.

From the nature of the work, 749 investigators are like salespeople; good performance leads to higher earnings, and the base treatment is good, but it can't compare to the Review Office.

The Review Office, on the other hand, is like a salaried office job, white-collar, with no commissions, but a high base salary. This identity also sounds more prestigious when mentioned.

So, with such excellent treatment given to you, if you still engage in underhanded tricks, then you're just asking for trouble!

Outside the door, the head of the Review Office's First Department arrived quickly.

Xue Kai blocked the door.

The dark-faced man spoke, "Minister Xue, please step aside."

Xue Kai didn't speak, just shook his head.

Lu Ding was a man of feeling and loyalty. Xue Kai was not an ungrateful wretch either. Last time, Lu Ding had let him off. Today, even if the sky fell, unless Lu Ding said otherwise, he wouldn't budge!

The First Department Head, Zhang Qingshan, intensified his tone. "I told you to move aside!!!!"

Just as his aura was about to erupt, Lu Ding walked out of the room, wiping the blood from his knuckles. "Minister Zhang, if you have something to say, say it to me."

.

Additional chapter for the Asking the Undying's previous Gift King. Thank you, Lord Jun Shen Hong Chen, for sending two more Gift Kings. Additional chapters will be added for both. Thank you, my lord.