Chapter 60: 59 Strange (Part 1)

Inside the main hall of the Prison Department.

A towering black shadow slowly stepped out of the darkness, revealing a figure under the light.

It was a giant man in official robes, with a full black beard, broad waist, and strong build, resembling a mighty tiger and bear.

This person’s height was at least two meters, with thick arms clad in two sets of sturdy leather armor. A black machete, as wide as a thigh, hung at his waist.

He walked up to Zhang Rongfang, towering over him and lowered his head for a look.

Clap.

He placed both hands on Zhang Rongfang’s shoulders.

“Thank you for helping my son. Rest assured, do a good job here, and we won’t skimp on the rewards!”

It was clear that this prison chief had sincere eyes, with no ulterior motives.

However, his exaggerated physique made others uneasy whenever he approached them.

Zhang Rongfang could also tell that this man was straightforward and direct, so he didn’t engage in much formality.

“It was my duty. In the future, I hope for your guidance, sir.”

“Hahaha, no need for courtesy,” Li Ran, the prison chief, laughed.

He pondered for a moment.

“In that case, Daoist Zhang Ying, you have keen eyesight, so you can join Team Nine; they’re just short of a person.”

“Team Nine?” Li Huoyun, who was beside them, was about to say something, but after glancing at Zhang Rongfang, he held his tongue.

“It’s alright, Team Nine is just right for you to assist Captain Lin Qixiao,” Li Ran said with a smile.

He said no more and clapped his hands.

“Someone, take Daoist Zhang to Team Nine to take up his post.” As for the certification of his grade that Zhang Rongfang brought, he didn’t even bother to look at it.

To falsify such credentials while taking up a post in the Prison Department? That would be like courting death.

Immediately, a man dressed in black form-fitting leather armor, armed with a sword, stepped out from the shadows and bowed.

“Daoist Zhang Ying, please follow me this way.”

“Much obliged.” Zhang Rongfang nodded and glanced at Li Huoyun beside him.

This young gentleman cautiously signaled him with his eyes, meaning they’ll talk later.

He understood and quickly followed the man out of the main hall.

Li Huoyun also wanted to leave, but Li Ran called him back.

The father and son might need to have a good conversation.

Exiting the main hall, under the officer’s guidance, Zhang Rongfang took a left turn and quickly headed to the rear area.

The rear of the Prison Department was a square.

Looking out, there stood numerous underground entrance doors, all of the same size and decorative specifications.

These underground entrance doors, seen from afar, resembled tombs sinking deep into the ground.

Screams and cries continuously seeped from inside.

“These are the dungeons of our Prison Department, where interrogations and tortures happen. If you have a chance, you should take a tour. It’s quite interesting inside,” the leading officer said with a strange smile.

Zhang Rongfang didn’t know how to respond.

“I shall take a good look when the time comes,” he thought for a moment, then replied softly.

“Heh, by the way, a friendly reminder: when you go to Team Nine, Captain Lin Qixiao, also from another sect, may have a bit of a temper, so please be patient with them.”

“Oh? Why should I be patient?” Zhang Rongfang sensed some inside information. He slipped a small piece of broken silver over.

This broken silver came from breaking a ten tael silver ingot, roughly one half-tael each piece.

As a meeting gift, it was quite substantial, equivalent to five hundred coins, no small amount indeed.

Accepting the silver coins in secret, the officer’s smile became even more amiable.

“Mainly because Captain Lin Qixiao is from the Merak Palace and is highly skilled. At a young age, he’s already reached the third rank, and his father is the Hall Master of Zhengning Hall, Lin Hong.

The Hall Master, a title that, within the Merak Palace, requires at least the seventh rank according to the Zhenyi Sect’s standards.”

Seventh rank… The martial arts within the Great Dao Teaching, even when mastered, only reaches the seventh rank.

And a Hall Master from the Zhenyi Sect in Tan Yang City is already a seventh-rank…

Zhang Rongfang didn’t know what to say.

He paused and suddenly curious, asked, “I wonder what rank our prison chief is?”

“The prison chief was determined to be eighth rank ten years ago, but now I don’t know. We are merely junior officers; how could we dare to inquire into the lord’s private matters?”

As they spoke, they arrived in front of a small building beside a dungeon entrance.

The door of the small building was wide open.

A long-haired woman, dressed in tight white attire, was putting on a pair of leather armor boots.

The leather armor was directly worn over the tight clothing, covering her chest and slender waist.

The arm guards extended up to her forearms.

There was some protection around the neck as well.

The long boots covered just below the knees, with pieces resembling scales embedded, clearly not lightweight.

The two stopped at the door.

“Captain Lin, the new deputy was assigned by the prison chief personally.”

The woman, fully dressed in leather armor, took off her helmet and turned around.

Her face appeared not to be purely of Northern lineage but seemed to have Caucasian Huxi ancestry.

Black hair, fair skin, blue eyes, a figure with an appropriate martial artist’s physique, neither frail nor too rugged, healthy yet not unattractive.

“Good that you’re here. It’s almost time for the evening patrol, go get equipped and join me.”

The woman glanced at Zhang Rongfang, satisfied with his sturdy build.

“This time it’s more like it; last time, that bean sprout came as if to court death.”

The previous deputy thought to polish her skills here, but ended up disobeying orders and was severely injured by her in one blow, dragged back.

Since then, no one dared to come to Squad Nine to enhance their reputation.

“I, Zhang Ying, greet Captain Lin,” Zhang Rongfang stepped forward and said cupping his fists.

“We don’t look at sect backgrounds here, only ability! In the future, stop calling yourself by your sect title. Since you’re appointed as a deputy, you should call yourself ’I’ or ’this official’,” Lin Qixiao said coldly.

“Understood,” Zhang Rongfang nodded.

“Alright, men,” Lin Qixiao called back over her shoulder.

Soon, two black-armored officers came out from the back lounge.

“Take your new deputy to change his gear, also explain the basic rules and our daily tasks,” Lin Qixiao said coldly.

“Yes!”

The two officers led Zhang Rongfang to the rear of the small building.

Soon, he obtained a set of standardized armor suited to his stature, along with an officer’s sword, and returned outside.

By then, Lin Qixiao had already gathered over a dozen armored troops in front of the small building.

Zhang Rongfang stepped forward, following standard procedures, and was introduced to everyone present.

One had to say, even though Lin Qixiao always wore a cold expression, her face and figure were indeed the best he had seen in Tan Yang.

Even with a cold face, her beauty surpassed Xiao Qingying by half a measure.

After introductions, to Zhang Rongfang’s surprise, in Squad Nine with fifteen members, every single one was Grade One.

Including him, a superficial Grade Two, and Lin Qixiao, a Grade Three.

This kind of team was responsible for patrolling and guarding the street districts near the Department of Justice. It was simply extravagant.

The Department of Justice on all four sides, they were responsible for half, with another team responsible for the other half.

Day and night, there were four small teams responsible for rotating to ensure the surrounding safety.

Without any waves, Zhang Rongfang’s work at the Department of Justice commenced.

As a deputy, he resided in the small building of Squad Nine.

Like Lin Qixiao, all members were required to live there.

Everyone had one day a week to rest at home and move freely.

The deputy’s salary was thirty-five silver coins a month, quite substantial.

The two streets guarded and patrolled by Squad Nine had a total of three restaurants, two music parlors, one brothel, and one tavern.

These streets were located in the most prosperous area of Tan Yang City, daily flooded with a massive flow of people.

Therefore, the patrol team from the Department of Justice also had to take on part of the daily security responsibility.

Every day, Zhang Rongfang leisurely practiced martial arts during the day and patrolled from nine at night to two in the morning.

Then he swapped shifts with the city-guarding officers and went back to rest.

Regarding meals, he could eat at the Department of Justice cafeteria or resolve it himself.

After eating twice at the cafeteria, Zhang Rongfang decisively joined his colleagues at nearby restaurants instead.

After all, as patrol officers, they enjoyed a 50% discount on restaurant expenses.

In the blink of an eye, more than half a month had passed.

Yangxue Restaurant, second-floor hall.

“I’d like an order of stir-fried taro, braised radish, chive chicken strips, spicy fish,”

Zhang Rongfang skillfully ordered a series of dishes while holding the menu.

“Deputy Zhang, what about soup? Which soup would you like?” a tall subordinate asked quietly during the gathering.

“Let’s go with soybean pig’s trotter soup,” Zhang Rongfang handed the menu to the waiter.

“Alright. Gentlemen, please wait, we’ll serve some cold dishes first,”

The waiter took the menu and quickly left.

From afar, they could still hear his loud voice calling out the dish names.

Zhang Rongfang took a pair of chopsticks from the tube and placed them on his table.

Those dining with him were some of the better-off members of Squad Nine.

Including the towering Chen Hansheng, the hearty girl Liu Han, and the mustachioed white man Gelu Xilai.

Everyone lived carefully, and being martial artists, their appetite was far bigger than ordinary people, making group dining a choice.

“Where’s Captain Lin? Speaking of which, I haven’t seen her dining with everyone,” Zhang Rongfang, having been here these days, hadn’t seen Lin Qixiao eat with everyone.

“Captain Lin has a bad temper…and many food restrictions, so she usually doesn’t eat with us,” Chen Hansheng shook his head.

“I must say, it’s been peaceful lately, our Squad Nine used to face issues quite frequently,” Liu Han remarked.

“However… Captain Lin… seems to have family issues recently…” Gelu Xilai hesitated to continue.

During these days, the group had become more familiar with Zhang Rongfang, recognizing the temperate and upright new deputy, much easier to get along with than Captain Lin.

Just as Zhang Rongfang was about to ask further, a clatter of plates and bowls smashing downstairs interrupted.

Chaos erupted with angry roars and table flipping.

The four of them immediately stood up.

This restaurant was within their usual patrol range, and the boss generously offered them a substantial discount.

So when something arose, if spotted, they would intervene.

Incidents like minor clashes were common in restaurants.

The group descended to see a red-bearded man holding a stool confronting two thinner, white-clothed individuals.

The floor was littered with scattered dishes and spilled wine.

“You two lousy thieves! Return my coin pouch quickly, otherwise I’ll bash your heads open today!”

The red-bearded man roared with crude anger.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep