Chapter 375 Selecting Targets

After depositing the gold and silver in the bank, Xu Jingming finally relaxed. "Everything is finally done."

Of course, there were also the Sword Technique King's weapons and Cheng Yanran's jade pendant, hidden in a civilian residence. The situation was too tense now, and it wasn't suitable to sell them yet. Selling them now would fetch too low a price.

"I'll go take a bath first." Xu Jingming didn't like going to public bathhouses; he preferred to laboriously heat his own water and enjoy a good soak before changing into fresh clothes.

Dressed in his official uniform, with a blue robe draped over it, a wine gourd hanging from his waist, and a spear bag on his back, Xu Jingming leisurely strolled towards the Southern Garrison headquarters.

"I'm really derelict as a Blood Rain Guard of the Judicial Affairs Department. I only went on the day I reported for duty, and haven't been there since." Xu Jingming mocked himself inwardly, because he was directly managed by Chief Warden Niu of the Judicial Affairs Department. Chief Warden Niu had said that he wouldn't bother with him for the next few months, so he was naturally very relaxed.

"The cosmic citizen player team I have has a contract for more than half a month. I can't waste it. Whether I can gather 10,000 taels of gold depends on this half-month."

"First, I need to find good hunting targets."

Xu Jingming arrived at the hall where the Judicial Affairs Department stored its files and began carefully reading through them.

Last time, he had specifically read the files to deal with Cheng Yanran.

This time…

He was determining hunting targets, so the scope of reading was broader.

"Gurgle, gurgle." With his wine gourd by his side, occasionally taking a sip, Xu Jingming patiently read through the files.

From day to night, even at night, candles as thick as a child's arm were lit in the file hall, illuminating it brightly.

"Hmm."

After reading so many files, Xu Jingming had some targets in mind.

"Looking at the imperial capital, there are plenty of rich people. But most of them are fixed assets! Even if they have cash… it's all in the form of encrypted silver notes." Xu Jingming thought that the huge wealth of those rich merchants and clans was generally in the form of encrypted silver notes! Even if thieves stole them, they would be useless. If the silver notes were lost, the owners could still retrieve them with their identity plaques and encryption keys.

"What I need is real gold and silver."

"Those who dare to keep so much gold and silver are not easy to deal with." Xu Jingming closed the files.

The places with the most gold and silver were, for example, large banks! Or the Seven Kill Tower headquarters! But these places were heavily guarded, and not something his team could handle. Moreover, with so much gold and silver, the difficulty the world would present was imaginable.

"I have twenty or thirty candidates now." Xu Jingming roughly defined the scope first. "No hurry, there's still plenty of time."

These candidates were all rich and unkind, harming all around them.

Xu Jingming felt that his actions were on behalf of Heaven!

"Whoosh."

Xu Jingming got up, stretched, hung the wine gourd on his waist, and walked out with his spear bag on his back.

Now it was dark outside, and many Blood Rain Guards had left their offices to go to dinner.

"Brother Jing." Xu Jingming was walking in this small city of the Southern Garrison when he suddenly heard a pleasant voice.

Xu Jingming turned his head and saw the one-armed female swordswoman, Qiu Tong, looking very happy.

"Sister Qiu Tong." Xu Jingming also walked over happily.

"I heard you came to the Judicial Affairs Department, but I couldn't find you after looking several times," Qiu Tong said.

"I'm just holding a leisurely position now. I don't need to clock in regularly, and I just wander around," Xu Jingming said.

Qiu Tong immediately said, "Let's go, let's go, it's rare for us to meet. I'm treating today."

"Okay." Xu Jingming didn't decline.

Leaving the Southern Garrison, the two found a secluded small restaurant.

The small restaurant had only two private rooms on the second floor, and Xu Jingming and Qiu Tong entered one of them.

"Don't look down on this place just because it looks ordinary, but the craftsmanship is really extraordinary. I come here every few days. It's just a little far from the Southern Garrison; otherwise, I'd come even more often," Qiu Tong said with a smile.

Xu Jingming could tell that Qiu Tong was living a comfortable life.

"I'll order the dishes," Qiu Tong said enthusiastically.

A girl walked into the private room and said familiarly, "Sister Qiu, you're here."

"Five jin of braised beef first. Their braised beef is completely different from other places," Qiu Tong explained, and then ordered several more main dishes in succession. "Finally, two large bowls of beef and mushroom rice, and a jar of your Green Leaf Wine. Xiao Qin, hurry up with the dishes."

"Don't worry." The girl immediately went to arrange it.

Soon, a jar of Green Leaf Wine and a large portion of braised beef were brought up first.

"Mm, mm." Xu Jingming picked up a piece of braised beef with his chopsticks, took a bite, and immediately felt as if his taste buds were exploding. It was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with gravy inside. Xu Jingming's teeth were sharp, and he chewed it clean in two bites.

For experts like Xu Jingming and Qiu Tong, after reaching cellular control, their stomach's digestive ability was also very strong. Eating twenty or thirty pounds of meat in one meal was a small matter.

Of course, during an intense battle, their weight might decrease by a dozen or twenty pounds, and under their control, almost all of it was fat that was lost.

"Not bad, not bad," Xu Jingming said. "Is there an extra 'roasting' step in this braised beef?"

"Yes, the ingredients are more refined, and the surface is roasted until it's a little crispy, while still ensuring the tenderness inside," Qiu Tong said as she ate.

One main dish after another.

Green Leaf Wine was a relatively light wine.

"Sister Qiu Tong, I feel like you're living a pretty good life. You know all the good restaurants around here," Xu Jingming said as he held a piece of bone-in meat, listening to Qiu Tong describe the food, and couldn't help but admire her.

"Actually, when I first arrived at the Prison Affairs Department, I was also quite depressed," Qiu Tong said, drinking wine. "The Prison Affairs Department is too boring. Every day, I'm just responsible for guarding prisoners like a blockhead. And there aren't any daring thieves who dare to rob prisoners from the Southern Garrison headquarters' prison, so every day is really boring. It's only a little interesting to squeeze some oil from the prisoners."

"I heard that if you go to the Southern Garrison headquarters' prison, you can't even think about getting out alive without a few thousand taels of silver," Xu Jingming said.

"I can't help it," Qiu Tong shook her head. "This world is very chaotic! Everyone is demanding benefits, and if I don't take what's allocated to me, I'll be an outcast! I'll be ostracized."

Xu Jingming understood this.

"I'm lucky that I'm a vice-captain, so I can slack off a little," Qiu Tong said. "Usually, what I like to study most is food. The imperial capital is the imperial capital! It gathers the best food from all over."

Xu Jingming immediately said, "You have to tell me about them one by one. I'm very free now, so I can slowly go and taste them."

At least he was very satisfied with the food at this secluded restaurant.

"Okay, no problem," Qiu Tong nodded, and suddenly said, "By the way, have you seen Brother Luo recently?"

"The last time I went to the Fei residence, I heard that he had already moved out," Xu Jingming said.

"Mm."

Qiu Tong nodded. "I heard that he opened a small restaurant and just took in two concubines. He probably wants to have children and live a peaceful life."

"Took in concubines?" Xu Jingming was surprised.

"He didn't tell me. I only found out by chance when I was chatting with other Blood Rain Guards," Qiu Tong said. "After all, the three of us are from Lanyue City. Let's take care of him a little in the future."

"Mm," Xu Jingming nodded. "I'll pay more attention."

"Of the three of us, Brother Luo was the worst off. I lost an arm, and Brother Jing, you were the strongest… but now you've also been demoted to an ordinary Blood Rain Guard," Qiu Tong shook her head. "I've seen through it. This place in the imperial capital is really hard to get by in."

"It's hard," Xu Jingming nodded. Even though he didn't provoke Cheng Yanran, he still attracted trouble.

His brothers under Zhang Ke were also innocently implicated.

"I've been in the Southern Garrison headquarters for a long time, and I can feel that… the world is really chaotic now. Even the Blood Rain Guards in the imperial capital are planning their escape routes," Qiu Tong said.

"Planning their escape routes?" Xu Jingming was stunned.

"Now, the northwest is completely rotten, and the southern region is not much better. Only the eastern region can maintain the most basic order," Qiu Tong said in a low voice. "The Blood Rain Guards in the imperial capital secretly believe that the world probably won't last much longer, so they're naturally trying to make as much money as they can."

"Four thousand Blood Rain Guards and two hundred thousand Auxiliary Guards are enough to guard the imperial capital, but if they want to pacify the world… it's far from enough," Xu Jingming also nodded.

The two of them had eaten their fill and were chatting when suddenly there was a quarrel downstairs.

"There's such a big dead rat in this soup! It's made Sixth Master sick! If you don't give me an explanation, I'll smash your restaurant!" The loud voice downstairs could be heard throughout the restaurant.

"Let's go down and take a look," Qiu Tong said.

"Let's go," Xu Jingming got up.

The two of them came to the first floor and saw a group of people sitting carelessly at two tables. One of the leaders was pointing at the soup. "Look, look, such a big dead rat. Isn't it disgusting? You're still running a restaurant? You might as well close it down sooner rather than later."

"Sixth Master, Sixth Master," an old man stepped forward and said ingratiatingly, "We're willing to apologize. How much do you want? You name a number."

The sharp-mouthed, monkey-cheeked man stretched out a large hand. "Five hundred taels of silver, and Sixth Master will be generous and spare you."

"Five hundred taels?" the old man exclaimed.

"Brother Wang, it's them." The girl waiter brought in two patrolling Auxiliary Guards from outside. The two Auxiliary Guards frowned when they saw the troublemaking dozen or so people.

"Wang Cheng, you've come at the right time," the sharp-mouthed, monkey-cheeked man sneered, pointing at the soup. "Look at the dead rat in this soup. It's really disgusting. If you don't give me an explanation today, how can Chang Laoliu survive in the imperial capital?"

The girl waiter angrily scolded, "Such a big bowl of meat soup. If there was a dead rat, you would have drunk more than half of the soup! And taken all the meat out?"

"Don't mention it, it makes me even angrier!" the sharp-mouthed, monkey-cheeked man said angrily.

"You ate all the meat in the soup, and just didn't find such a big dead rat?" the girl angrily scolded.

"It's just that coincidental!" the man said angrily. "Stop talking nonsense. Five hundred taels of silver, and I'll spare you. Otherwise today… my people will smash your restaurant. Don't even mention Wang Cheng, it's useless who you find today!"

The girl's eyes turned red with anger, but there was nothing she could do.

"Owner," the old man said in a low voice, "Bear with it, bear with it."

"This group of people is clearly extorting us," the girl said angrily. "My father has been forced into serious illness by these gangs. And now they're still coming to extort us. The yamen wants money, the Blood Rain Guards want money, the gangs want money, and even these gang members don't follow the rules and continue to demand money… What we earn from doing business isn't even enough for them to extort!"

The sharp-mouthed, monkey-cheeked man scratched his ears and sneered.

Xu Jingming and Qiu Tong, who were walking down the stairs, exchanged glances.

They were Blood Rain Guards!

It was an open secret that all merchants in the jurisdiction paid money to the Blood Rain Guards, and after hearing what the girl said, Xu Jingming also felt it wasn't very righteous. But all the Blood Rain Guards in the imperial capital were like this, and he had no ability to change it.

"Let's help her," Qiu Tong gave Xu Jingming a look.

She often ate here and had a good impression of the girl who ran the business, and wanted to help her. But she was a Blood Rain Guard of the Prison Affairs Department, and didn't have the authority to directly arrest people!

She didn't have the authority, but Xu Jingming did!

Xu Jingming nodded slightly.

"Hmm?"

Xu Jingming walked forward, his eyes ice-cold, making the surrounding people slightly stunned.

Xu Jingming stared at the sharp-mouthed, monkey-cheeked man, carefully observing him.

"You are?" The sharp-mouthed, monkey-cheeked man vaguely felt that the person in front of him had a strong sense of oppression, and didn't dare to be too presumptuous.

"The Judicial Affairs Department is investigating a case. This person is involved in a major case." Xu Jingming showed his token to the two Auxiliary Guards next to him, pointing at the sharp-mouthed, monkey-cheeked man. "You two Auxiliary Guards, escort this person to the Southern Garrison's prison!"

Xu Jingming's token clearly read "Southern Garrison Judicial Affairs Department, Jingming."

"Yes," the two Auxiliary Guards immediately responded.

What the Judicial Affairs Department investigated were all major and important cases! The Auxiliary Guards needed to cooperate.

"I'm involved in a major case?" The sharp-mouthed, monkey-cheeked man couldn't believe it. "Sir, you're framing me."

"Sir, my Sixth Master…" Someone next to him started to speak.

"Oh? There are accomplices?" Xu Jingming glanced around.

The group of people trembled in fright, their faces turning pale, and no one dared to speak.

"Spare me, spare me."

Chang Laoliu knelt down in fright. "Sir, spare me, I'll give you money, I'll give you all my money."

That was the Southern Garrison headquarters' prison! Once you went in, you had to go through layers of exploitation to get out, and it was impossible to get out alive without a few thousand taels of silver. He, a small gang leader, didn't have that much money.

"Oh?" Xu Jingming looked at him.

"I have a hundred taels of silver," Chang Laoliu said quickly. "I'll treat it as a tribute to you, sir."

Gang members also had large expenses. It was already very good if he had a hundred taels of extra money on hand.

Xu Jingming immediately lost interest when he heard that.

"Hurry up, escort him to the Southern Garrison's prison." Xu Jingming instructed the two Auxiliary Guards, "When you send him over, register it clearly that this is a case investigated by me, Jingming!"

"Yes," the two Auxiliary Guards responded.

"Brother Jing, don't worry. With your case, no one can take him away without your or your superior's approval," Qiu Tong said with a smile, and also showed her token. "I'm from the Prison Affairs Department. I'll take you two over there."

The two Auxiliary Guards were in awe. Another Blood Rain Guard from the Prison Affairs Department?

"Hurry up."

"Let's go."

The two Auxiliary Guards stepped forward, the chains wrapped around the sharp-mouthed, monkey-cheeked man's hands, and escorted him out of the restaurant.

"Thank you, Sister Qiu! Thank you, Sir Jing!" The girl was extremely excited. Her family really couldn't come up with five hundred taels of silver now.

"If there are any more who don't have eyes, just tell me," Qiu Tong said with a smile. It wasn't a problem for her to protect a small restaurant with her status.

"Thank you, Sister Qiu," the girl's eyes were wet. With these words, there was hope for their restaurant!

The surrounding gang members looked at each other and silently remembered it. This restaurant had the Blood Rain Guards from the Judicial Affairs Department and the Prison Affairs Department as its backers.

Soon.

The two Auxiliary Guards escorted Chang Laoliu to the Southern Garrison.

"It's so hard to run a restaurant even though they clearly have good skills," Xu Jingming stood on the street, looking at the dimly lit restaurant, and shook his head slightly.

"But they still want to take root in the imperial capital, because the imperial capital still has some order. Outside is the real hell, a hell where people don't live," Qiu Tong shook her head.

Xu Jingming nodded.

The girl was clearly the owner, but she was also receiving important guests on the second floor of the restaurant.

Her father was seriously ill, and she also had to run the business.

"It's also to make a living," Qiu Tong said. "I'll go back to the Southern Garrison first. Are you still going to interrogate this prisoner? If you're not going to interrogate him, I'll give him a few sets of prison benefits."

"I'm very busy recently. If he's still alive a month later, I'll go and interrogate him," Xu Jingming said.

"Understood," Qiu Tong also understood.

A small gang leader like this wouldn't be able to get out of prison alive. The Southern Garrison headquarters' prison couldn't keep him locked up forever either. Keeping him imprisoned would require providing food and drink. Without money, according to the unspoken rules, the person would be gone within a month.

Qiu Tong returned to the Southern Garrison headquarters, while Xu Jingming returned to his residence with his spear bag on his back.

"The imperial capital clearly looks quite prosperous," Xu Jingming walked on the road, "But it's so difficult to survive."

He could see the red-light district in the distance, with some women waving handkerchiefs upstairs to attract customers.

He could see beggars begging on the streets.

He could see gang members walking on the streets like a pack of jackals.

He could see important figures riding in carriages, surrounded by a group of guards.

"Different people, different ways of living, but as long as they can survive, they can tenaciously live on. The resilience of life is really strong," Xu Jingming understood. "Perhaps, being able to live one day is happiness for many of them."

Xu Jingming walked back to his residence, which was also the place he had rented when he first came to the imperial capital.

"Even in reality, I heard that after some weak civilizations collapse and are swallowed by powerful civilizations, the lives of the planetary lifeforms in those weak civilizations are also very miserable."

"Some work in mineral stars all year round, accompanied by wind and sand."

"Some are slaves and servants."

"Some are exploited to do all kinds of work. For example, in the Blood Rain World, some planetary lifeforms have their memories erased and repeatedly experience 'Blood Rain World' lives. After a few Blood Rain World lives, they might die of old age in reality."

Xu Jingming himself hadn't experienced it, but there were many similar news stories that could be found on the virtual world network.

The Blue Star civilization was able to allow all its citizens to cultivate evolutionary methods, and everyone had a virtual helmet! Among the elementary civilizations in the universe, it was already doing very well.

"I have to cherish the present. Every day that I can live happily is already a very happy thing," Xu Jingming held a spear in the training ground at his residence and practiced spear techniques naturally.

Happiness was something to be compared.

The more he saw, the more Xu Jingming felt that every day he was really happy! Although there was the threat after the 'end of the new civilization protection period,' he had a bright future, was the number one genius of Blue Star, had a wife who understood him, had a lovely daughter, both his parents were alive, and his grandfather was still alive…

Now, he could still practice in one virtual world after another. Although he was just an insignificant little person in the entire universe,

this kind of life had already surpassed 99% of people. It was really happy.

"Pretty good."

Xu Jingming practiced his spear techniques move by move. There was a heart-warming flavor in his spear techniques.

At Xu Jingming's level, his spear techniques could already reflect his state of mind!

His spear techniques didn't become faster or more powerful. Nor were the moves more unpredictable. But they had a 'heart-warming' charm. Seeing such spear techniques was like seeing a warm and happy life, seeing steaming meat buns, and seeing a father hugging his children…
Wo Chi Xi Hong Shi