Gu Changge listened silently, without interrupting.
Within the Demon Suppression Division, the Opportunity to go to the Martial Temple had to be earned with merit.
Guan Youlong was advanced in years, and his Core Formation Realm strength was long past its prime.
The courage he once had to fight a Core Formation Great Demon to the death had probably long since faded with his declining vitality.
"According to The Department's rules, killing a Core Formation Realm Great Demon earns one an Opportunity to enter the Martial Temple. Alternatively, suppressing a demonic creature for twenty years also grants one such Opportunity."
"Lord Guan... he is advanced in years, and that beast is also heavily injured; neither can do anything to the other..."
Gu Changge sneered, "So, as long as that beast doesn't cause too much trouble during his watch, he just turns a blind eye and pretends nothing happened?"
"..."
Scarface fell silent.
This silence clearly indicated his agreement with Gu Changge's statement.
Jiang Yuechu listened quietly, gently tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear.
No wonder that old man had tried to stop her from killing the demon earlier.
If she had killed that beast, the demonic threat in this area would naturally have been resolved.
And a place without demons, where would it need someone to guard it?
At that point, Guan Youlong's progress in accumulating merit over more than ten years would come to an abrupt halt.
He would either have to kill a Core Formation Great Demon.
But he probably long ago lost the strength and courage to kill a Core Formation Great Demon.
Or, he would have to guard another location to make up for the remaining years.
Heh.
But how many Core Formation Great Demons in the world would be as easy to guard as this Qiang River Dragon King?
Presumably, that beast was also clever; knowing it was severely injured, if it truly caused havoc and incited the wrath of the Jiannan Provincial Command, leading to a more ruthless person in charge, it would have long lost its life.
Instead, being guarded by an old man like Guan Youlong, who was on his last legs and only sought a peaceful life, was the safest option.
So, one wanted to peacefully earn merit, and the other wanted to peacefully recover from injuries.
The man and the demon, above the Qiang River, had tacitly reached such an absurd understanding.
Gu Changge pondered for a moment, then suddenly asked, "Then, how many people have died over these years?"
"Because of the agreement, that beast didn't dare to eat too many people..."
"How many is 'not many'?"
"Two... each month..."
"..."
Gu Changge slowly stood up, looking down at the trembling figure on the ground.
"Two each month?"
He repeated it, as if confirming something.
Scarface dared not look up.
He clearly knew how absurd it was for someone from the Demon Suppression Division to say such a thing.
The next instant.
Gu Changge suddenly raised his foot and kicked Scarface's shoulder!
Bang!
The latter grunted in pain, rolling several times on the ground until he hit the corner of the wall and finally stopped.
"Just for his pathetic desire to prolong his life, you dare to feed that beast the lives of tens of thousands of people along the banks of the Qiang River?!"
"Taking the court's salary, wearing the Demon Suppression Division's official uniform, is this how you guard a region?!"
"Get out! Get out and bring that old scoundrel Guan Youlong up here!"
"Yes... yes..."
Scarface endured the pain, quickly got up, and retreated.
Inside the room, only heavy breathing remained for a time.
Gu Changge's chest heaved violently, clearly very angry.
He took several deep breaths, finally managing to calm the rage in his heart.
Turning his head, he looked at the slender figure at the door, and a hint of apology flashed in his eyes.
"Miss Jiang... I'm sorry you had to see that."
His voice was a little hoarse.
It wasn't that he felt anything in particular, just a bit ashamed.
The Demon Suppression Division suppressed demons and eradicated evil.
But now, this festering sore, rotten to the core, had been completely exposed to a young woman with a promising future, who had just joined The Department and still viewed it with rose-tinted glasses.
Presumably, her ideals about the Demon Suppression Division were probably shattered by now.
The young woman merely shook her head gently.
"It's nothing."
She truly didn't have many thoughts.
It was normal for people to strive for their own interests.
Guan Youlong feared death and wanted to live a few more years, which was understandable.
But how innocent were the common people swallowed by that beast?
If they were truly at their wit's end and had no other choice, then so be it.
But since he knew he was no match, he could have clearly reported it to the Dusi, or had someone else handle the matter.
To do this... this was simply asking for death.
Not long after.
The sound of dragging chains entered from outside the room.
The two burly men who had been following the young man, one on each side, dragged in the disheveled Guan Youlong, who was bound in chains.
Gu Changge's expression was calm as he said faintly, "Guan Youlong, do you know your crime?"
"..."
Guan Youlong raised his head, his cloudy eyes devoid of their previous arrogance.
"I want to see Commander Zhao."
Gu Changge shook his head and said, "You probably won't see him. As an Inspector Envoy, I have the authority to bypass local Dusi and directly escort corrupt officials back to the capital for the General Bureau to personally handle."
"But what crime have I committed!?"
Guan Youlong suddenly struggled, his chains clanking, "I ask you, what crime have I committed! Why are you punishing me!"
"I, Guan Youlong, joined the Demon Suppression Division at twenty-four, and have suppressed demons and eradicated evil for Jiannan for ninety-three years! My wife died in a demon uprising, and my only son was retaliated against by demons! My entire life, I have given to the people of Jiannan, to this Demon Suppression Division!"
"Has the court forgotten all of this?!"
Gu Changge said, "The General Bureau' records clearly state that you killed three hundred seventy-two demons and were injured nineteen times. Your merits are real, and no one can erase them."
"Since it's true! Then, with my ninety-four years of merit, with all these scars on my body, shouldn't the people along the Qiang River allow me to live a few more years?!"
"That beast only eats two people a month! I have tried my best to restrain it! Just give me a few more years! As long as I can obtain a Spiritual Seal and achieve a Breakthrough in Realm, I will personally slay it!"
"I only need a few more years! Just a few more years to enter the Martial Temple once more for an Opportunity!"
"Why! Why won't you give me a little more time!!!"
Gu Changge did not speak, merely listening quietly.
This calmness, on the contrary, made Guan Youlong's roars seem even more pale and powerless.
After a long while.
Gu Changge slowly opened his mouth, "Guan Youlong, how long have you been guarding this place?"
"..."
Guan Youlong was startled, instinctively replying, "Seventeen years and seven months!"
"Seventeen years and seven months..."
Gu Changge repeated, as if calculating something.
"Two people a month."
"One year, that's twenty-four people."
"Seventeen years and seven months, a total of four hundred twelve people."
"What makes you think you will definitely achieve a Breakthrough? What if you fail again?"
"How many more years should they let you live then?"
Gu Changge took a step forward, glaring at him.
"Is your life, Guan Youlong, a life, but theirs is not?!"
"When you joined The Department at twenty-four, what were you guarding? Now, what are you guarding?