NOVPUBChapter 418 -153 Nan Batian: Chen 94, do you still take me seriously? (10,000 characters asking for subscription)
Chapter 418 -153 Nan Batian: Chen 94, do you still take me seriously? (10,000 characters asking for subscription)
Fishing Guild Headquarters!
Located at the busiest intersection of West City Yongsheng Street and Angu Street in Mianshui County!
Occupying an area twice the size of White Tiger Hall, spanning two major streets, it was the third-largest building complex in Mianshui County!
The largest was Darugachi Mansion, the second was the County Government, and the third would be the Fishing Guild Headquarters.
Not only did the Fishing Guild Headquarters cover a wide area, but it also had very strict security, with Nan Batian having his own private guard team of eighteen people, known as the Eighteen Vajra.
Each member’s strength was above the Willow Tendon Realm, with the deputy leaders’ strength even at the formidable Iron Bone Realm.
However, as Nan Batian’s guard team, they rarely engaged in combat, for as the first in combat power in Mianshui County, there were almost none who dared to make a move on Nan Batian.
As such, these deputy leaders often served more as decorations, seldom getting the chance to fight.
Nan Batian, for his part, didn’t mind this much, as he had absolute confidence in his own strength and believed he could handle any situation that arose.
Thus, his guards were assigned to be on constant vigil at the Fishing Guild Headquarters.
Chen Jie had actually become quite familiar with the Headquarters recently since he visited two or three times a month.
This was intentional on his part and was also what Nan Batian and Darugachi wanted to see.
Yelu played the game of checks and balances; White Tiger Hall was a pawn in his hand, and whether Nan Batian’s or Liu Laoguai’s strength tipped the balance even slightly, he would use Chen Jie to adjust the equilibrium.
For instance, half a year ago during the Feng Xuan incident, Chen Jie’s relationship with Nan Batian nearly hit rock bottom. Had it gone any further, it could have turned into outright enmity.
Therefore, after the inauguration banquet, Yelu hinted to Chen Jie that he should cooperate with Nan Batian in his undertakings, not to be too confrontational, and to smooth over their relationship, remembering that White Tiger Hall was still a subordinate branch of the Fishing Guild.
What did this mean?
Chen Jie understood that Nan Batian had recently been too passive and Guild Cao’s Elder Liu had also been reaping benefits from sitting idly by. Yelu’s balance had become uneven once again, so he needed to find equilibrium.
What’s that, you say Chen Jie’s relationship with Nan Batian is poor?
Sorry, not important; in Yelu’s eyes, Chen Jie was only a pawn he had elevated to position, and a pawn doesn’t get a say. You obey; if you don’t, he could leverage the power of the entire county to expel you from Mianshui.
Dare to defy?
That’s power, and even though Chen Jie had climbed a rung on the social ladder, from an ordinary citizen to a White Tiger Hall Master who could determine many people’s fate, he remained a pawn in the hands of those at even higher levels.
Not just him, but everyone, are pawns to those at higher levels. That’s fate; that’s the rule of the game in this world.
Unless you can climb higher, to a level where no one can control you.
And Chen Jie was climbing towards that supreme position!
Only by reaching the zenith could he shed his pawn status, become a player, and hold sway over the chessboard of the world.
Otherwise, he would forever be trampled underfoot.
Right now, Chen Jie was just a pawn, so he had to act according to the instructions of Mianshui County’s chess players, and of course, so did Nan Batian.
Thus, two individuals who saw each other as thorns in their sides maintained an eerily harmonious relationship.
Chen Jie was required to report to Nan Batian regularly every month, and Nan Batian had to greet Chen Jie with a hypocritical smile, even repeatedly praising Chen Jie as the Fishing Guild’s meritorious figure, young and promising, destined for greatness!
Actually, both would be glad to see the other drop dead, yet under irresistible circumstances, they each did their utmost to disguise their own amicability.
And the result was that ordinary guild members, unaware of the underlying truth, suddenly perceived a good relationship between the two, thinking Chen Jiusi was highly regarded by the Gang Leader!
Only those who knew the inner workings understood the true state of affairs.
Chen Jie, accompanied by Chen Xiaohu, arrived with fifty members dressed in uniform black Martial Arts Uniforms with white Tiger Head embroidery on the chest—the White Tiger Guards.
The force Chen Jie led today was the A Camp of the White Tiger Guards.
After half a year of expansion, consolidation, elimination, and replenishment, the White Tiger Guards had reached a total of one hundred and fifty members, divided into three combat camps, named A, B, and C.
“Ah, White Tiger Hall has arrived.”
Chen Jie, riding a tall horse, was at the forefront, followed by Xiao Hu. As his group approached the Headquarters’ gate, the guard immediately announced their presence.
In the entire Fishing Guild, only Chen Jie’s White Tiger Hall had such an orderly appearance.
When Chen Jie and his group arrived at the gate, the guard quickly came over and said, “Fifth Master, you’ve arrived.”
Chen Jie smiled and replied, “Have the others arrived?”
Upon hearing the question, the guard said, “Everyone’s here, just waiting for you, Fifth Master.”
Chen Jie responded with a nod, “Hmm.”
He then gave Xiao Hu a signal, and Xiao Hu promptly drew out a two-tael silver ingot and handed it to the gatekeeper, “Have a cup of tea on me.”
“Thank you, Master Hu.”
Xiao Hu had also risen to the position of ‘Master’, as he was now an Energy Transformation Master. Although he was at the bottom of the ranks along with Qin Hu and Qin Bao, he was still quite a figure in Mianshui County. Moreover, who didn’t know that Chen Jiusi, White Tiger Hall’s Fifth Master’s main confidant, was this Chen Xiaohu, Master Hu.
Chen Jie led Chen Xiaohu into the grand entrance of the Headquarters, leaving the rest who couldn’t enter waiting outside.
The two made their way in, and people from the Headquarters greeted Chen Jie as they passed, “Fifth Master.”
“Master Chen.”
…
Soon, the group reached the large conference room of the Fishing Guild Headquarters—the Hall of Loyalty!
