The Master's Mask Unveiled Again-Chapter 1009 - 1008: It’s All Retribution

Uh...

First question: Team Three thinks there’s no need to investigate; it’s obvious that no one within the organization supports Team Two. Everyone left is backing Team One.

After all, Team One is the current favorite, popular and widely supported, and the most promising candidate for inheriting the leadership position.

Team Three still played the fence, saying: [Maybe apart from me, there’s no one else.]

Lu Mian, unsurprised, sent a deathly smile emoji, signaling for them to handle the second matter.

Team Three’s commander gritted his teeth, thinking to himself that Team Two really knew how to exploit people to the fullest and wouldn’t let him off easily.

Still, when considering how rare Mi Lu’s compositions were, and seeing as Team Two had guaranteed access, he didn’t want to miss this opportunity.

Miss this chance, and it might be a lifetime before he could get hold of one of Mi Lu’s compositions.

After much deliberation, Team Three finally decided: He’d risk it and ask Team One for information. Whether he lived or died, he’d leave it to fate.

Whatever the election results turn out to be, he wasn’t particularly invested.

In any case, the higher his status within the organization rose, the more the Lu Family would pester him. He’d rather be a happy slacker and sever his ties with them completely.

Having made up his mind, Team Three’s commander went to chat with Xiao Qimo. After exchanging a few casual lines, he sent the chat screenshot to Lu Mian.

The screenshot contained just two lines.

Team Three: [Team One, do you think Team Two performing so well on this mission will have any impact on the election results?]

Team One: [No way. A freeloading parasite*, seriously trying to flaunt this mission success?]

This was Team One’s commander’s original words, with absolutely no edits or tampering.

Team Three forwarded it verbatim to Lu Mian. Her gaze finally landed on the phrase "freeloading parasite," her eyes flickering darkly before eventually settling into calm waters.

Expressionless, she put away her phone and headed toward the room.

As she passed the main building hall, she heard some arguments inside. Seeing Sikong Jian was present, she lazily leaned against the doorframe, quietly spectating.

Sikong Jian’s arrival was salvation for Jing Heng’s family—they’d been waiting for this rescuer, hoping he could hold Lu Mian and her people accountable and deliver some well-deserved punishment.

Xi Mei and Hong Junhua immediately began wailing about their miserable plight.

"Unbelievable! An old lady like me, almost eighty years old, had her hair yanked and head rammed by a twenty-something girl. If I wasn’t sturdily built, I’d already be six feet under! Mr. Sikong, you simply must seek justice for us!"

"And me! A pregnant woman barely managing with my heavy belly—yet they bullied me incessantly! In the end, they even found a quack doctor and forced me to give birth prematurely. That baby wasn’t even eight months along—it’s a human life!"

Xi Mei and Hong Junhua took turns spinning Lu Mian and her crew into irredeemable villains.

Sikong Jian, after hearing it all, casually picked his ear and asked flatly, "Done talking?"

Jing Heng’s heart skipped a beat. He nodded anxiously, thinking surely this was enough.

"Lu Mian injured all of my Chixia Sect disciples. Our nation has always valued harmony—someone who threatens public safety like her should no longer have a role in society."

Sikong Jian nodded in agreement, "You’re absolutely right. We can’t allow public safety threats, which is why the President sent me here to bring you in for an investigation."

"No, Mr. Sikong, you’ve got it wrong. The one who should be investigated is Lu Mian, not us!"

Sikong Jian waved his hand flamboyantly and mercilessly declared, "No mistake—it’s you, your wife, and this elderly lady. You’re suspected of intentionally harming others and restricting their personal freedom. Please come with me for questioning."

Of course, this was just the public reason. The real reason Jing Heng and Xi Mei would be spending the rest of their lives in prison was due to their shady, unspeakable dealings behind closed doors.

When the Presidential Residence investigates, they either don’t move or strike with absolute precision. Jing Heng was doomed.

Now Jing Heng was utterly panicked. From savior to mortal threat—the role reversal stunned him.

But staring repeatedly at Sikong Jian’s glaringly official arrest warrant, he finally understood the old saying: hoist by one’s own petard.

If this matter hadn’t implicated the Presidential Residence, they might still have had a chance to turn the tide.

With direct orders from above, the Chixia Sect was done for this time... truly finished.

Jing Heng’s legs gave out suddenly, collapsing into a chair, his head hanging low. It was as if decades of age had been added to him instantly. Shui Yanmeng’s words to him echoed in his mind: He would face retribution.

Perhaps this was retribution.

He wanted a son but only ever had daughters.

He wanted to annex the Mercenary Alliance but ended up being irrevocably crippled by its leader, Lu Mian.

He sought to use public opinion and the Presidential Residence to topple Lu Mian, only to bring about his own demise.

Everything had happened too fast. Three days ago, he was still the high and mighty Sect Master of the Chixia Sect. Now his dignity was gone, his son was gone—and his title of Sect Master, too.

Xi Mei’s face turned ashen as she stared at her husband, unable to accept this family catastrophe, bursting into uncontrollable sobs.

As for Hong Junhua, her tears had dried, her voice hoarse from crying, but there was no changing the current situation.

Meanwhile, Jing Pei and Jing Che, the grandfather-grandson pair, stood coldly in the corner like indifferent observers, remaining uninvolved.

Sikong Jian wasted no words, ordering the three to be taken away directly.

And with that, the Chixia Sect finally returned to peace. freёweɓnovel_com

As for how to deal with the disciples with twisted moral compasses—it’s simple: if they don’t fall in line, beat them.

After handling everything on this end, Sikong Jian walked past Lu Mian, glancing at the girl’s roguish demeanor and chuckling, "So? Satisfied?"

Lu Mian nodded. "Satisfied."

Sikong Jian grinned recklessly, "They deserve it. Anyone who dares bully Sui Yuan should be ready for the worst fate!"

"Alright, go on and report back."

Lu Mian gave Sikong Jian a casual wave and didn’t say more.

As for the management of the Chixia Sect moving forward, Jing Pei, wanting to make it up to his granddaughter, planned to keep her in the sect, assigning her a part in running its affairs. But Sui Yuan, naturally soft-spoken and introverted, fervently refused, declaring openly that she had other aspirations.

Jing Che, on the other hand, suggested that Jing Pei himself oversee the sect’s operations—he was the older generation, a figure of authority, and his leadership would command respect across the sect.

"No, I don’t want to. Don’t shove it onto me." Jing Pei felt his age catching up and wanted to focus on playing Go without burdening himself with sect affairs. Ultimately, he dumped the responsibility onto Jing Che.

Jing Che: ... I actually don’t particularly want to manage the Chixia Sect.

Finally, under Sui Yuan’s modest refusal, Jing Pei’s retreat, and Shui Yanmeng’s expectations, Jing Che formally took charge of the Chixia Sect.

The first order of business upon Jing Che’s rise was to set a rule.

From now on, they must coexist peacefully with the Mercenary Alliance.