Chapter 14

"Let me tell you a secret to a long life."

A middle-aged man dressed in black martial robes continued. Although his eyes were hidden under a deep bamboo hat, the faint smile at the corner of his mouth was clearly a mocking one.

Guo Jia, standing silently, twitched his eyebrows.

Regardless of age, in terms of the order of joining the Martial Arts Alliance, he was a senior by far. Yet, this man was lecturing him as if he were a junior.

But now, he couldn't even meet his gaze.

Because of his position.

While he was just a squad leader of the Demon Slayer Corps, the man was a directly dispatched inspector from the alliance, a figure of absolute authority within the Martial Arts Alliance, second only to the alliance leader and the heads of the supporting families.

"I've been hearing that you've been crossing the line recently."

"…I will be more careful."

"I sincerely hope so. We didn't send you here to cause trouble with the doctors, did we? Right?"

"…."

"Let's focus on the task at hand. We're all working for the alliance, and I don't want to meet you like this either."

Clack.

The man placed his teacup on the table and continued.

"But what can I do? Rumors of you riding on the tiger's might have reached even the Gansu branch."

Guo Jia had to suppress his boiling anger.

Each word was so humiliating. Even if the words alone were enough to make him uncomfortable, the real issue was that he was being publicly humiliated in front of his subordinates.

"Normally, I should punish you severely and restore discipline, but considering your past efforts, I'll let it go this time."

"…Thank you."

"Thank you for what?"

The man slightly curled his lips upward.

"Sure, it's called a dispatch, but it's no different from being exiled to this remote place, right? I'm human, so I can understand that much."

"…!"

"If you receive punishment here, it would be the same as being expelled from the alliance, wouldn't it?"

Guo Jia gritted his teeth, bowing his head. His pride was deeply wounded, but he couldn't refute the man's words. They were true. If he could, he would have left the alliance and set up his own martial school, but that required money he didn't have.

If he were expelled from the alliance, he would end up as nothing more than a bodyguard at a courier agency.

'Damn it!'

The current situation was infuriatingly frustrating.