He glanced at Yu Qingxian, gritted his teeth, and said: “I’ll apologize to Master right now, is that acceptable? You otherworldly folk always emphasize doing good for others. Grandpa served the country and the people his whole life; can Master bear to let him go like this, so undignified?”
Chu Yi raised an eyebrow. Was this an attempt to force his hand from the moral high ground?
Even if Old Master Kang had chosen this path himself, or if he truly were a great philanthropist, Chu Yi didn’t feel obligated to help. There were so many people in the world needing aid; could he save them all?
Chu Yi was very capricious about helping others—it all depended on his mood. Though his master had sent him down the mountain to accumulate merit, it didn’t require him to be a saint. Kang Zeyu thinking this tactic would pressure him was wishful thinking!
“I’m not refusing to help; I truly have no way.” That was all Chu Yi said. Believe it or not.
Before Kang Zeyu could speak, Yu Qingxian cut in: “Young Master Kang, Old Master Kang’s fangs and complexion can clearly be handled by a mortician’s makeup. His height can be concealed by the coffin. Chu Yi has said he can’t do it; why must you make things difficult for him?”
Zhang Shaoyi had previously owed Chu Yi a favor and was now annoyed with the Kang Family. He muttered just loud enough: “If we’d known earlier, we should’ve listened to me and burned him—one and done.”
“Pfft!” Chen Ying couldn’t hold back and burst out laughing.
Chen Jin Sheng pretended to scold her: “Ying’er, it’s the hosts who lack manners because their elders didn’t teach them well. How can you be so rude too? Old Master Kang has passed; you should offer condolences for their grief, not make this fuss. If outsiders hear and think the hosts aren’t saddened at all, what then?”
“Oh…” Chen Ying drew out her tone and indeed went to offer condolences to Old Master Kang and Kang Zeyu, while also apologizing for her rudeness, leaving the father and son utterly embarrassed.
Chu Yi gained a new respect for this father-daughter pair. He had thought hidden cultivators like them would be rigidly traditional or at least rule-abiding. But this duo was utterly unreserved, masters at veiled insults. He learned something…
Everyone except the Kang Family wore suppressed smiles. Even Master Wuzhen covered his face with his sleeve and coughed lightly several times, as if he had choked.
After all, the Kang Family acted superior due to their status. They hadn’t shown much grief over Old Master’s death and instead fussed over external things. No wonder everyone was displeased.
In the end, Wu He slowly stepped in to smooth things over, then unceremoniously announced their collective departure on behalf of all the masters.
“Wait, Director Wu. The other masters can leave, but Master Wuzhen must stay, right?” The Kang Family panicked; they wanted Master Wuzhen and his disciples to stay and chant sutras for Old Master.
But Wu He had people waiting to be saved. Earlier, Old Master Kang’s situation had been critical, so he compromised. Now, he certainly wouldn’t let the living wait behind the dead. No way would he agree!
The Kang Family knew they had no grounds and, seeing Wu He’s firm stance, reluctantly let them go.
“Come to the company tomorrow when you have time; there’s something to discuss.” Before parting, Yu Qingxian glanced at Chu Yi and said.
He still had to escort Old Master, and Chu Yi would likely return to the Special Affairs Office; they couldn’t go together.
“Oh.” Chu Yi touched his nose. He had a feeling Yu Qingxian knew about him asking Mu Jiajun for help…
The group returned to the Special Affairs Office. Chu Yi followed Wu He to check on the researchers who had previously contacted the Blood Exhaust. They hadn’t swallowed it directly like Old Master Kang, only touched it with their hands, so their symptoms were much milder. Once confirmed that Master Wuzhen could resolve it with Buddhist methods, he washed his hands of it.
“How do we handle Dragon Soaring Mountain?” Wu He asked as they left the care room.
Chu Yi: “What else? Collect all the items and send them back where they came from.”
Wu He choked. Of course he knew to send them back, but how? With the mountain full of mutated corpses, even his most elite special ops team would be wiped out before reaching the engineering site.
Chu Yi gave him a blank look: “Who said to send people? Don’t you have all that high-tech gear from your research? If ground routes don’t work, use remote-controlled drones.”
Even this old-timer knew to keep up with the times!
Wu He: “…” He had been narrow-minded!
Chen Jin Sheng, Zhang Shaoyi, and the other masters: “…”
As expected of the young one? They had been ready to risk their old lives to protect the villages and people around Dragon Soaring Mountain by blocking the things from the peak. But Master Chu solved it with one simple sentence—no need for them to risk their lives at all!
“Alright, I’m off if there’s nothing else.” Chu Yi waved and turned to leave.
“Wait, Master Chu, about that Purple Thunder Talisman…” Chen Jin Sheng and the others had wanted to ask for ages but hadn’t found the chance. Now that everything was settled, they hurriedly chased after him.
Wu He was dumbfounded, then wanted to slap himself: “Am I an idiot? Why didn’t I keep my mouth shut? Now they’re all coming to grab them!”
Cursing aside, he still had to chase after to secure a share for the Special Affairs Office. Otherwise, when the higher-ups questioned, he’d get no credit for discovering the treasure and only a scolding!
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