Chapter 150 - 112: Muscle Refining Realm, Perfection

Chapter 150: Chapter 112: Muscle Refining Realm, Perfection

Before long, the main hall was brightly lit.

A dense crowd of over eighty men stood assembled, all former subordinates from the Water Patrol Bureau who had followed Zhao Laosuan from the docks.

Most of them had disheveled clothes, their faces still etched with the panic of their recent ordeal.

Some had blood on their cuffs, others had torn trousers.

But now, all of them held their breath, staring expectantly at Lu Jing’an, who was seated at the head of the hall.

Lu Jing’an lifted his teacup, blew away the foam on the surface, and took a sip before finally raising his eyes to look at the men.

Wherever his gaze landed, the men couldn’t help but lower their heads.

"Bureau Chief..." Zhao Laosuan could finally bear it no longer. He took a step forward and fell to his knees with a THUD.

"Did I... did I cause you huge trouble?"

His voice trembled, and he kept his head bowed low, not daring to look at Lu Jing’an.

The hall was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Lu Jing’an set down his teacup. The porcelain made a soft TAP as it touched the wooden table.

"Get up."

Lu Jing’an’s voice was calm.

Zhao Laosuan didn’t move.

"I told you to get up," Lu Jing’an said, his tone hardening.

Only then did Zhao Laosuan shakily scramble to his feet, his head still bowed like a prisoner awaiting his sentence.

Lu Jing’an’s gaze swept over the men below before he spoke slowly. "What’s done is done. There’s no point in saying more."

Honestly, from Zhao Laosuan’s point of view, Lu Jing’an had no reason to blame him.

After all, with Zhao Laosuan’s limited understanding and perspective, he couldn’t have been expected to see the bigger picture.

Lu Jing’an paused, then continued, "Since you were willing to follow me, willing to bet your lives and futures on me, Lu Jing’an, I naturally won’t let you take this risk for nothing."

Hearing this, the men all raised their heads, hope glinting in their eyes.

Lu Jing’an held up one finger. "The first option: join the Public Security Bureau."

"The Public Security Bureau is expanding, and you can get in directly.

As for the pay—"

He paused, then said clearly, "It will be double what you earned at the Water Patrol Bureau."

A wave of suppressed gasps immediately swept through the hall.

The eighteen silver coins per month at the Water Patrol Bureau was already the highest pay silver in Yin Mountain County.

Double that would be thirty-six!

That amount was more than enough to buy a nice house in the city and support a large family.

"The second option." Lu Jing’an held up a second finger.

Everyone immediately fell silent, waiting with bated breath.

Lu Jing’an said, "Take a one-time payout equivalent to three years of your pay silver from the Water Patrol Bureau.

Once you have the money, whether you want to leave Yin Mountain County and make a living elsewhere,

or stay here and start a small business, is entirely up to you."

Three years of pay silver—that was nearly six hundred silver coins!

This was an enormous sum, absolutely enough to change an ordinary person’s fate.

Two paths: one was to fight for a future, the other was to take the money and live a peaceful life.

The choices Lu Jing’an offered were, to say the least, extremely generous.

Having said his piece, Lu Jing’an spoke no more. He picked up his teacup again and began to sip his tea unhurriedly.

Wisps of steam rose from the tea, blurring his calm expression.

The men below looked at each other, whispering amongst themselves.

Time ticked by. Finally, Lu Jing’an finished the last of his tea.

He gently set the white porcelain cup back on the table.

CLANG—

The crisp sound of porcelain on wood was exceptionally clear in the silent hall.

It was like a signal.

The crowd began to stir.

One man stepped forward and bowed deeply to Lu Jing’an.

"Young Master Lu, my... my elderly mother is gravely ill, and I have three young children to feed.

"I... I choose the second option. Thank you for your immense kindness, Young Master!"

Once there was a first, a second and a third soon followed.

In the end, out of the eighty-odd men, a dozen or so chose to take the money and leave.

Most of these men were over forty, with families to support, their faces etched with the hardships and caution of life.

They bowed deeply to Lu Jing’an, then quietly moved to one side.

The remaining sixty-plus men stepped forward in unison and dropped to one knee.

"We pledge our lives to Young Master Lu!"

Their voices were not in sync, but they carried a desperate, all-in ferocity.

Zhao Laosuan was among them, kneeling ramrod straight, and he did not rise for a long time.

Lu Jing’an looked at the group before him, his gaze sweeping over each of their young and resolute faces.

He knew that after tonight,

these men would become one of the core foundations of his Lu Family’s power in Yin Mountain County.

"Good." Lu Jing’an stood up.

"Those who chose the first option, go to the Public Security Bureau and report now. Chen Xuan will make the arrangements.

Those who chose the second, go to the bookkeeper to collect your money. Each of you will receive an additional thirty silver coins as a resettlement fee."

"Thank you, Young Master!" the men roared in reply, their voices trembling with emotion and fervor.

The crowd dispersed, and the main hall fell silent once more.

Lu Jing’an stood before the hall with his hands clasped behind his back, gazing into the deep darkness of the courtyard.

Chen Xuan silently appeared at his side and said in a low voice, "Young Master, everything has been arranged. Also, about Bai Lang..."

"He won’t make a move," Lu Jing’an cut him off, his tone certain. "At least not today."

Chen Xuan looked like he wanted to say more but held his tongue.

But Lu Jing’an had already turned and headed for the rear courtyard. "I’m going to go practice my boxing."

The reason Lu Jing’an could be so certain was based on his own analysis.

First of all, Bai Lang hadn’t made a move at the time.

In fact, as far as Lu Jing’an was concerned, the matter wasn’t as complicated as Bai Lang seemed to think.

’If I were in Commander Bai’s shoes, I’d have definitely wanted Bai Lang to kill me on the spot.’

’Any so-called plan would be unimportant.’

Bai Lang’s failure to do so could only mean two things.

First, Bai Lang didn’t understand Commander Bai well enough.

That was unavoidable.

The members of the Wolf Camp had short lifespans; they simply didn’t have the time to get to know Commander Bai.

Second, Commander Bai held supreme authority in the army. No one dared to defy his orders.

And this, in fact, was the most troublesome part.