novelraw Chapter 556: You're Framing Me! I'm Reporting You! I'm Taking This All the Way to the Top!
Chapter 556: You're Framing Me! I'm Reporting You! I'm Taking This All the Way to the Top!
Lu Ding turned the document around.
On it were handwritten large characters.
【Evidence】
They weren't even pretending to act anymore.
Zeng Hongnian stared wide-eyed at these two characters, then abruptly looked up!!!
"You're framing me!!!"
A cold glint flashed as a throwing knife flew, and Zeng Hongnian's internal alarms screamed. He tilted his head to dodge Qian Jin's poisoned throwing knife.
But the magma-wrapped fist accurately and powerfully punched through his chest!!!
Magma scattered, blood sprayed.
Hou Dehai reached out with a large hand, firmly grasping Zeng Hongnian's head and slamming it against the wall.BANG!!!!!!
Facing the siege of two powerful experts, Zeng Hongnian had no ability to resist at all.
Moreover, he hadn't made any preparations in advance.
Because no one could have imagined that this specially dispatched Grand Duke Lu would act so completely outside the rules.
With just opening his mouth and a stroke of his pen, he would pass such a severe judgment on him.
And this was without any evidence whatsoever.
Lawless, absolutely lawless!!!!!!
Suppressed, Zeng Hongnian struggled fiercely and shouted: "I'm going to report you!!!!"
"This is slander!!!"
"This is a setup!!!"
"I'll take this complaint all the way to Hanjing!!!"
"I'll bring this to the highest hall of the 749 Bureau!!"
"Great Han has always followed the principle of 'innocent until proven guilty,' never 'guilty until proven innocent'!!!!"
"Say something, all of you! My fate today will be yours tomorrow!!"
Zeng Hongnian roared at the powerful figures from the surrounding factions.
To be fair, these words actually had some effect.
Damn it.
Who wouldn't fear encountering such a situation themselves in the future?
After all, everyone understood the principle that when the lips are gone, the teeth will feel cold.
But Lu Ding's voice spoke before they could question him.
Turning to face the other faction leaders, Lu Ding spread his hands open.
"Everyone, don't be afraid. I'm actually quite reasonable."
"Zeng Hongnian was given face but didn't want it - what could I do?"
"You should all know that I've just arrived in the new city. A new official needs to light three fires - regardless of whether I can accomplish anything, I at least need to make the effort."
Sometimes, stereotypes are very important for making statements.
Half-truths and half-falsehoods often make it difficult for people to distinguish what's real.
Lu Ding raised his hand and slapped away half of Zeng Hongnian's face.
Shaking his hand: "Five Restrictions experts are really different, their bones are so hard."
He continued: "As you all just saw, I gave him a chance, but what did he do? He pulled that tactical retreat, wanting to sacrifice his own daughter."
"To put it bluntly, this matter of killing the chicken to scare the monkeys - which of you doesn't understand it?"
"If he won't let me kill this chicken, what can I do? Should I pick a new one from among you?"
This reasoning was so damn logical.
Right, exactly, it was about killing the chicken to scare the monkeys.
Initially, Lu Ding indeed hadn't pulled this move that was reasonable and lawful but against regulations.
Everyone pondered for a moment.
If they were to become that chicken instead...
No way!
Better the priest perish than the taoist.
Luo Hui, head of the Luo Family, quietly took a step back and said: "Grand Duke Lu, your actions like this will make us feel uneasy..."
"Why feel uneasy? If he had just followed my lead, would I have hit him? No, I wouldn't have."
Lu Ding's smile, in the eyes of these powerful figures, looked increasingly unsettling no matter how they viewed it.
"Let's speak frankly with open cards. Be understanding, and everyone can coexist peacefully. If you're not understanding, then let's not play at all. To put it bluntly, I'm just a special envoy."
"I'll have to leave eventually."
"Won't this place still be your domain afterwards?"
"Have any of you ever heard of a special envoy who overstays his welcome?"
As he said this, Lu Ding secretly added in his heart.
There weren't any before because you hadn't encountered me before. Now that I'm here, there will be a special envoy who overstays his welcome.
"I just want to accomplish more things within my limited mission period, add more gold plating to my record. If you all give me face, I'll give you face in return."
Although Lu Ding really wanted to eliminate all these people together.
That wasn't realistic.
He could only proceed slowly like cutting meat with a dull knife, boiling frogs in warm water gradually.
Moreover, these words also laid groundwork for the future.
Of course, no matter how much you talk, it's all empty without action.
Lu Ding gestured for everyone to look at Zeng Hongnian with his chest punched through.
"As a show of sincerity, I can promise you that, to the extent it has minimal impact, you can freely distribute the Zeng Family's assets among yourselves."
Wealth moves men's hearts.
The territory in White Ridge is only so large, and how much each of these families occupies has already been predetermined.
Now being able to take an additional share, who could resist being tempted?
Seizing on their greed, Lu Ding continued:
"Previously, your dealings with Bureau Chief Qian and Deputy Bureau Chief Hou - I know all about them. To put it bluntly, that was collusion for evil purposes."
"Everyone understands this in their hearts. Since there are no outsiders here, I might as well speak more plainly."
"Whatever Bureau Chief Qian could do, I can do too. Whatever Deputy Bureau Chief Hou could do, I can still do. If you have doubts, you might ask them whether my words carry weight."
Before these faction leaders could even open their mouths to ask.
Qian Jin was the first to step forward and declare: "The Grand Guardian's intentions are my directions! The Grand Guardian's requirements are my pursuits! The Grand Guardian's preferences are my hobbies!!!"
Hou Dehai, grinding his teeth in frustration beside him, squeezed out one sentence: "I'm the same!"
Now.
Everyone completely understood Lu Ding's true authority within White Ridge 749.
The heavy expressions faded from their faces, replaced by smiling appearances, each one cupping their hands in respect.
"We'll be troubling you greatly from now on, Grand Guardian!"
"Grand Duke Lu, you really scared us to death. From now on, whatever you say, we'll do, guaranteeing your journey here will be comfortable and highly rewarding."
"Grand Guardian, my worthless son truly caused you trouble today. You are a principled man, and I, Yu Xiao, cannot be lacking either. Today, I will place righteousness above family loyalty - I'll kill a son to add to your enjoyment!"
They were playing for real - anyway, he had many sons. This kind of useless trash would only cause trouble if kept alive. Better to go with the flow, show attitude, and consider it making use of waste.
Lu Ding almost doubted whether his ears were hearing correctly.
He watched as Yu Xiao, head of the Yu Family, raised his hand and struck, completely shattering Yu Lang who was tied to the torture rack.
The atmosphere in the interrogation room instantly fell silent.
Witnessing this scene, Lu Ding felt complex emotions difficult to describe with words.
You really are a ruthless person.......
After several seconds of silence, Lu Ding's laughter gradually rose: "Family Head Yu, truly swift in speech and action, clear in gratitude and grudges, a genuine hero and outstanding figure!!!"
"Lu Ding admires you, truly admires you."
The other family heads immediately felt a chill in their hearts.
Damn it, this is exactly what we were afraid of.
They knew that cooperating with someone like Lu Ding was unreliable - none of them were fools to be deceived by a few sweet words.
Even if they got the good fruit of the Zeng Family, they still needed to consider whether they could actually eat it.
But human nature should never be underestimated.
If they united, they could essentially fear nothing from the current Lu Ding, but could they actually unite?
They couldn't.
They were all hoping for each other's deaths.
People like Yu Xiao were perfect examples - saying nothing until they spoke, then immediately raising the stakes, putting everyone in a difficult position.
What should they do?
Should they follow suit and kill someone too, or not?