chapter 34 Not approved

"But despite all that, there are still people with hidden agendas stabbing him in the back. He's idling away his time and gallivanting around!" the old man in plain attire continued. "They've been spreading rumors that he's forming gangs, eliminating dissent, building his own power base, and plotting rebellion!" "And the most ironic part is that some people actually believe this nonsense!" "Tell me, wouldn't you be furious if you were in his shoes?" "Huh?" The old man in the Tang suit frowned. "Where did you hear this from?" "When you have some free time in the future, go out and explore the world. Don't confine yourself to your courtyard all day!" the old man in plain attire scolded him with annoyance. "If you keep this up, you'll become completely isolated from reality!" "These rumors have been circulating in the capital for a while!" "Even if he resigns, who will lead the Blood Shadow Troop?" "You only know that he left his post without permission, but have you ever considered why he did it?" the common man continued to ask. "What do you mean? Didn't you say he gave up his position out of anger?" The old man in the Tang suit retorted angrily. "But even so, he shouldn't resign over this, right?" another old man chimed in. "While the western region may be temporarily stable, our territory's other borders are still surrounded by hungry wolves. Many areas still require his assistance!" "Furthermore, he personally founded the Blood Shadow Troop. Azure Dragon and the other four members recognize him as their leader. No one else can command their loyalty!" "What!?" Everyone in the room exclaimed simultaneously upon hearing this. Snapped! A middle-aged man slammed his hand on the conference table, rising to his feet with an air of fury as he shouted. "So, what I'm saying is, none of you really cares about him!" the civilian-dressed old man glared at the Tang-suited old man. "He fought valiantly for our country in enemy territory, yet his own daughter was kidnapped by the very criminals he was protecting. They intended to use her heart for a transplant into other children!" "Tell me, what would you do in his shoes!?" "Mr. Tang, please tell us immediately who is responsible. I'll mobilize my people to find them right away!" "What a scumbag! Who did this? Tell me, and I'll annihilate their entire family!" "Alright, settle down!" At this point, the elder sitting at the head of the table said sternly. Then, he turned to the civilian-dressed old man and asked, "Mr. Tang, I was just about to inquire about this. He isn't married yet, correct? How did he suddenly have a daughter?" "Very well, look at yourselves now. Do you still consider yourselves the soldiers who once served on the front lines?" the civilian-dressed old man scolded the others. "I don't care about that!" the middle-aged man continued to shout. "Someone committed such a heinous act, and I'm going to ensure they face the consequences!" "So, how is his daughter's condition now? Has she been saved?" He then picked up his tea cup and took a sip, no longer concerned about who gave birth to the child. "Yes," Mr. Tang nodded. "Here's what we'll do. You'll inform him that his resignation request won't be approved. Instead, offer him a three-month leave to spend more time with his family, and he should return to the capital in three months." "Someone else gave birth to his child!" Mr. Tang shrugged. "Ahem..." The first old man cleared his throat. Of course, I know someone else gave birth to his child. How could he give birth himself? A minute later, the two of them stepped out into the corridor. "Mr. Tang, I know you care deeply for that young man!" the leader said as they walked. "But he still needs some polishing, as his rough edges are showing. After all, this country is relying on him to shoulder greater responsibilities in the future!" The elderly man set down his tea cup and added, "During his leave, he'll also be fully responsible for all matters and affairs of the Shadow Group!" "Meeting adjourned!" With that, he stood up and left the table. He walked to the door, then turned around and said, "Mr. Tang, come with me!" "I just can't stand what some people do!" Mr. Tang responded coldly. "Alright! Stop arguing with them!" the elder at the head continued. "By the way, Crispin Luo should be overseeing matters in the east now, correct?" "Yes," Mr. Tang nodded. "After Neil Zheng's incident, the position of Eastern Territory King has been vacant. Deputy Crispin Luo is currently acting in full capacity." "But some people's actions are truly chilling!" Mr. Tang responded with a deep voice. "If you do nothing all day and only engage in underhanded schemes..." "Do you have so little faith in that young man? If he can't handle such a trivial matter, his future prospects aren't looking bright anyway!" The head elder paused and continued. "You're worrying too much! With that young man's skills and strength, there are few in the entire country who can match him!" "Haha..." The head elder smiled wryly. "I can't hide anything from you!" "From what I've gathered, a group of troublemakers from abroad has infiltrated our territory recently." "If our suspicions are correct, their target is likely Dongzhou. The reports indicate that they are formidable opponents. Crispin Luo's current forces may be insufficient!" "Get in touch with him and have him visit that young man when he can. If he requires any assistance, tell him to fully cooperate!" The elder continued speaking. "You're quite the sly old fox, aren't you?" Mr. Tang remarked without good humor. He knew very well that with that young man's skills and abilities, in Dongzhou, he hardly needed anyone else's assistance; others would consider themselves fortunate to have him by their side. "Some time ago, our personnel ran into an ambush during a mission overseas. They contacted that Luo family girl, and she led a team to rescue them, eliminating all of the enemies in the process." "However, this act incurred the wrath of a powerful force, resulting in the destruction of her stronghold. She was gravely injured in the process." "But thankfully, she managed to escape and was rescued by our personnel. She was escorted back to the country a few days ago." "I knew you had ulterior motives!" Mr. Tang shot the other a sharp look. "Who exactly are these people? What are they doing in Dongzhou?" "I didn't obtain specific details about the adversary, but I can confirm that they are from the international criminal underworld," the head elder shook his head slightly. "Their primary target was that Luo family girl." "Hmm?" Mr. Tang squinted slightly. "Isn't that Luo family girl abroad? How did she end up in Dongzhou?" "She didn't return to her family in the capital, and she went to Dongzhou for what reason? Does she have nothing better to do?" Mr. Tang said somewhat exasperatedly. "She couldn't even handle the threats she faced. Did Crispin Luo truly believe he could protect her? She's being quite naive..." As he spoke, he seemed to realize something, furrowed his brow, and turned to look at the head elder. "Did you intentionally send her to Dongzhou?"