Chapter 774 - 233: [I Came Looking for Him] (2)
"Uh, actually... not a single one." Chen Yan’s tone was somewhat awkward as he slowly said, "Well... since you are a military officer at the Commander’s Mansion of Snow Cliff Pass, you naturally know that at Snow Cliff Pass, actually... selling Fierce Beast Race heads to make money doesn’t necessarily, um, doesn’t necessarily have to be sold to the Commander’s Mansion where they collect battle achievements."
"...Hmm?"
Chen Yan sighed, "Whether it’s the Thunder Cavalry or the guards, they all actually rely on battle achievements to advance in military rank. In the past few years without major battles, the Thunder Cavalry could only gain something by doing scout patrols outside.
So... actually, some Loose Cultivators who hunt in the pass occasionally sell the Fierce Beast Race heads they acquired privately to people in the military... it’s just that such matters aren’t done too openly, and the prices tend to be more expensive than the official bounty."
Gu Jiu gave Chen Yan a deep look, and after a brief contemplation, he let out a soft sigh.
What Chen Yan said, that the military at Snow Cliff Pass sometimes buys heads privately to gain military achievements, was naturally something he, as the left military officer of the Commander’s Mansion, was aware of.
However, such matters are quite rare in the military — firstly, those who enlisted in the army are mostly from the lower ranks, and their pay and savings aren’t ample enough to purchase heads on a large scale.
Those who do buy heads usually engage in battle themselves, risking everything to gather enough heads and battle achievements for a promotion.
Only when they are short by one or two do they spend money to buy them.
Additionally, such transactions cannot be conducted openly on a large scale.
How should I put it...
There wasn’t anything fundamentally wrong with what Chen Yan said, but Gu Jiu still harbored some doubts in his heart.
He thought for a moment, "Since you’ve sold few heads, does that mean you’ve primarily been selling Talismans at other times? To whom are you selling them?"
"Some Loose Cultivators who went outside the pass to hunt, hmm, and mainly some people from the Brotherhood."
Gu Jiu squinted his eyes, "The Brotherhood? Who are they?"
Chen Yan hesitated for a moment before slowly listing two or three names from the Brotherhood, which naturally included Baldie 39, besides Gu Jinjia, with whom he was most familiar.
Upon hearing these names, Gu Jiu’s expression changed, showing he also recognized them.
Afterward, this plump left military officer pondered for a moment before waving his hand, "Alright, the questioning is over. You may leave for now. If there’s anything, I’ll have someone summon you again."
Chen Yan deliberately lowered his voice, "May I ask, how long do I have to stay here? I was originally planning to take a boat to the Southern Border City of No Return, and this has already delayed many days..."
Saying this, he seemed somewhat troubled as he glanced at Gu Jiu.
Gu Jiu calmly replied, "Our Gu Family doesn’t wrong innocent people. If this matter has nothing to do with you, I will naturally let you go and compensate you with some money for your travel expenses to the Southern Border.
However... City of No Return, huh?"
He suddenly smiled, "Then you don’t need to worry. The Town General is returning from reporting at the Immortal Platform, and the next stop is indeed the Southern Border. If you’re going to the City of No Return, once matters here are settled, I will arrange for you to travel with our flying boat to the Southern Border."
Chen Yan’s heart was stirred, unsure whether this was good or bad, but he had no choice but to express his gratitude and then withdrew.
·
After Chen Yan left, Elder Qian slowly said, "I believe he didn’t lie about the events of the ship interception case, but judging by the fluctuation of his Primordial Qi, he’s likely hiding some things about himself. Yet, for Loose Cultivators, cultivation is not easy, and their experiences are often very complicated, so it’s not unusual for them to conceal some personal matters."
Gu Jiu nodded, "Thank you, Elder Qian. I don’t suspect him in this matter, but I must report today’s interrogation to the Town General and see what the Town General decides."
Elder Qian stroked his beard with a smile, "I’ve heard that this time at the Snow Cliff Pass battle, over thirty thousand heads were taken! The Town General is of direct descent of the Gu Family, naturally cultivating the Gu Family’s techniques of slaughter. With so many heads claimed in this battle, one can imagine his cultivation has certainly advanced significantly."
Gu Jiu showed a hint of reverence, "Of course, our Town General put his heart and soul into orchestrating this battle, achieving so much, which naturally greatly benefits the cultivation of our Gu Family’s Cultivation Technique."
After speaking, he stood up, "The questioning is done. I’ll return now to report to the Town General."
He cupped his hands with a salute, and Elder Qian immediately stood up and returned the salute.
"The Town General expressed gratitude to Jing’an Hall for their assistance in collecting the corpses of the stewards and crew on our Gu Family’s flying boat. The Gu Family noted this favor."
"We did not help much in the investigation, but collecting bodies is a duty of the same path. Besides, the Gu Family and our sect both inherit the Saint’s teachings, so there’s no need for thanks for things that are our duty."
·
An hour later.
At the Immortal Mountain of the Inner Sect of the Celestial Demon Yin Yang Joyful Sect.
Within a neat and tidy Zen courtyard, a number of soldiers in leather armor stood outside. After Gu Jiu entered the courtyard, he went straight to the study on the right. Before he reached the door, he took a deep breath, tidied up his clothes, and then said in a solemn voice, "Young Master, Gu Jiu requests an audience."
A soft "Hmm" came from inside, and only then did Gu Jiu push the door open and enter.
Behind the desk sat a person in tight training clothes, naturally the Town General of the Gu Family.
At the moment, they sat behind the desk holding a Jade Scroll, reading the military strategies and reports from the Snow Cliff Pass.
Gu Jiu wore a sycophantic smile on his face, and after approaching a few steps, he softly said, "Young Master..."