In a branch of the Dark Department in M City, two groups of people were in a standoff.
Shen Mingxun stood at the main entrance, his eyes sharp and cold. Directly in front of him was a middle-aged man wearing the uniform of a senior commander of the Dark Department. He was tall, sturdy, with dark skin and a neatly trimmed beard. His presence was palpable.
Beside him stood a hunched old man, his face deeply lined and marred by age spots, looking frail. His eyes were narrowed, giving off an uncomfortable aura when he looked at people.
This old man was none other than Sun Zhi.
Sun Zhi was extremely respectful to the man beside him, but his attitude towards Shen Mingxun was one of arrogance. "Commander Shen, I have no intention of making things difficult for you. As long as you hand over my granddaughter, I guarantee I will not harm the Dark Department, nor will I make things difficult for you."
Shen Mingxun scoffed, "Heh, you think you can?"
At these words, Sun Zhi's wrinkled face instantly fell. "Don't force me to be rough!"
Shen Mingxun sneered, not even glancing at him. The person Bai Shen had "specially" inquired about would either die soon or wish for death, so why bother with pleasantries? He looked at Wu Xing and said, "Wu Xing, you still have time to leave."
Although he said this, his inner thought was… please don't leave. If you leave, I won't have the pleasure of acting tough in front of you. More importantly, with one less senior commander in the Dark Department, he could quickly earn points while following Liu Yue-dada to complete various missions, thus becoming a senior commander sooner.
Wu Xing narrowed his eyes and looked at Shen Mingxun. "Commander Shen, I know you have backing, but you should also know the rules of the Dark Department. You, a mere intermediate commander, dare to speak to me like this. Do you know the consequences of insubordination?"
Shen Mingxun felt a surge of joy upon hearing this. Well, you walk into hell when heaven's path is open. His gaze remained calm as he said, "Rules? Commander Wu, you have the audacity to mention rules to me. According to the rules, only internal personnel of the Dark Department can enter and exit its branches. Commander Wu, you are now bringing an outsider, which is a violation of the Dark Department's rules!"
Wu Xing reached up and stroked the beard on his chin, then said, "Shen Mingxun, I've already given you enough face. Since you're being so uncooperative, don't blame me."
Shen Mingxun remained composed. "What? Commander Wu, are you planning to lead your men to attack the Dark Department branch? Have you considered the consequences?" In the Dark Department, even a top commander leading an assault on a branch was a grave offense, considered treason. No one could bear such responsibility.
Wu Xing burst into laughter, his seemingly not-so-old face contorting into a myriad of wrinkles from the sheer force of his mirth. "Shen Mingxun, for an intermediate commander, how can you be so naive? History is always written by the victors. If you don't comply today, I can simply kill you for insubordination. Once you're dead, all the soldiers here will be under my command. Those who are sensible, I will keep; those who are not, will share your fate!"
After saying this, Wu Xing expected Shen Mingxun to be afraid, or even compromise. However, Shen Mingxun remained standing there, showing no sign of panic, as if he hadn't taken his words to heart. "You want to kill me? I fear you are incapable."
This declaration instantly enraged Wu Xing. There was no doubt that this was a challenge to his capabilities.
Seeing this, Sun Zhi immediately stepped forward to add fuel to the fire. "Commander Wu, this Shen Mingxun clearly doesn't respect you. Why do you continue to waste your breath on him?" He desperately wished for Wu Xing to eliminate Shen Mingxun immediately, so that Shen Mingxun would truly understand the consequences of laying hands on his family's descendants.
Wu Xing snorted coldly. "Shen Mingxun, since you have a problem with me, why don't we have a contest? As commanders of the Dark Department, let's have a fair and square duel."
In the Dark Department, commanders were forbidden from fighting each other. However, there was a rule that if two individuals had a personal grievance, they could engage in a contest. All they needed to do was present their Dark Department badges as stakes, and the duel could commence. No one else was allowed to participate, nor could weapons be used; it was a battle of personal strength. The winner would receive the loser's badge and remain in the Dark Department. The loser would either die or be expelled from the Dark Department.
Wu Xing, having climbed to his current position, was certainly no fool. If he directly led an assault on the branch, even if he killed Shen Mingxun, it would still provide fodder for gossip. Unless he killed everyone present, he could never be truly at ease. But if he killed Shen Mingxun first, this place would become ownerless, and he believed no one would dare to stop him from entering and taking a prisoner of the Dark Department!
Shen Mingxun did not hesitate to rip his shoulder badge off. "Alright!" His only intention was to stall for time until Bai Shen arrived to personally teach these two a lesson. The problem wasn't significant, but his aura needed to be strong, otherwise, it would be a disgrace to Bai Shen.
Seeing Shen Mingxun agree so readily, Wu Xing's face was filled with a mocking expression. "Shen Mingxun, you will surely regret your arrogance in the underworld!"
Shen Mingxun calmly replied, "Commander Wu, that statement is likely meant for yourself." In terms of strength, he, an intermediate commander, had little chance of winning. However, behind him was Bai Shen, who could crush someone like Wu Xing with a mere flick of his wrist.
Hearing this, Wu Xing's face showed a hint of ruthlessness. "Ignorant child, perish!" With that, he charged forward, his hands transforming into palms, striking fiercely towards Shen Mingxun's vital points.
Sensing the powerful palm force, Shen Mingxun immediately became serious, dodging the attack. Thus began the war between the commanders of the Dark Department.
In terms of individual strength, Shen Mingxun's abilities were no match for Wu Xing. After a few exchanges, he was clearly at a disadvantage. Wu Xing landed a punch on Shen Mingxun's shoulder, the sound of bone cracking echoing. "Ha! As an intermediate commander, your skills are decent, but unfortunately, your brain is not. You are destined to die here."
Shen Mingxun gritted his teeth slightly. "Commander Wu, don't celebrate too soon." With that, he launched a counterattack, aiming for Wu Xing's head. Wu Xing immediately dodged and retreated several steps. Yet, even so, the sharp edge of his aura managed to slice a small cut across his face, from which crimson blood began to seep.
Seizing the opportunity, Shen Mingxun finally managed to catch his breath, crying internally, but maintaining an outwardly calm demeanor. "Eldest Miss, you said you would be here soon. Why are you not here yet?" He was already injured in three places! If she didn't come soon, he might only be avenged posthumously. He should have known better than to engage him head-on and should have used other methods to stall for time, sob sob…