fantasy novels Chapter 980: Star-Plucking Tower's Arrogance Is Just a Farce - It's Time for This to End!
Chapter 980: Star-Plucking Tower's Arrogance Is Just a Farce - It's Time for This to End!
......
Seeing Lu Ding standing in front of him, Ying Gou had no choice but to back off.
"Deal."
With that single word settled.
Lu Ding replied to him, "Then once I've finished dealing with the Star-Plucking Tower, we'll go find the special envoy of Qingyuan Prefecture together and have a proper discussion."
On the surface, it seemed like Lu Ding and Ying Gou had both won.
But in reality, the special envoy of Qingyuan Prefecture got completely screwed over.
However, that's just how reality works.
When interests collide, a lack of strength causes the holder to be swallowed by the powerful.
The only difference this time.Was that Lu Ding would give the Qingyuan Prefecture special envoy a bit more face, parting on good terms.
Trying to make the handover as harmonious as possible.
After reaching an agreement with Ying Gou, there wasn't much in the way of spoils to be gained from the Wuliang Temple side.
Having already recovered his Spiritual Energy, Lu Ding immediately led the group of investigators toward the Star-Plucking Tower.
In the notification channel.
Lu Ding gave them a heads-up in advance.
[The situation at Star-Plucking Tower is complicated—buildings, relationships, all intertwined like roots and vines. There might be a bloody battle ahead. Everyone, try to use precision kills and avoid large-scale technique bombardments to prevent collateral damage to civilians and unnecessary loss of property and life.]
[But prioritize your own safety first.]
[Don't be greedy for glory or charge in recklessly. No solo operations.]
[If you can't win, run. Call for backup in the channel, and I'll provide support at any time. If it truly comes down to it, I'll say it again: your own safety is the top priority.]
Compared to imposing restrictions, Lu Ding was more worried about their lives.
If it really came to a life-or-death struggle, and he was still limiting them from using powerful techniques, wouldn't that be sending his investigators to their deaths?
And besides.
Lu Ding wasn't the kind of person who could watch his subordinates die without any burden, just to maintain some sense of coolness.
In how many novels, movies, TV shows, and anime, the strongest leader watches his subordinates die one by one while he himself stands idly by, watching the show, spouting nonsense, and letting his men fight and struggle, only to be killed by the protagonist's explosive power-up.
That kind of thing is just pure idiocy!!
As for Lu Ding, he did everything in his power, everything within his ability.
Life—he couldn't control it. All things are born from heaven and earth, following the laws of nature. Death—he couldn't control it either. Fate is predetermined, and luck can be unfavorable.
But the wavering between life and death—he could do his utmost to control it.
Kill everyone he believed deserved to die. Save everyone he believed didn't deserve to die.
The group of investigators all typed back in response.
[Understood.]
[Got it, Grand Duke Lu.]
[Don't worry, Grand Guardian. You don't need to be concerned about us. Ever since we left Hanjing, we've been prepared for anything at any time.]
[Say a few less unlucky words. We might not be on your level, Grand Duke Lu, but it's still a bit difficult for ordinary people to kill us.]
Of course, they could have answered by voice.
But with several hundred people all speaking at once, it would be too chaotic to hear. Unless it was an emergency, they wouldn't speak through the channel.
That was one of the professional qualities of the Hanjing investigators.
If it had been those bastards from White Ridge under Lu Ding's command.
They'd definitely be yelling one by one.
After Lu Ding and his group left.
Not long after.
The 749 special envoy of Qingyuan Prefecture led his people to the scene.
When they saw that the Wuliang Temple had turned into a basin of gravel, every single person's face was filled with shock.
"What level of battle would it take to create something like this? What kind of powerful existence did the Wuliang Temple provoke?"
Someone said this.
The 749 special envoy of Qingyuan Prefecture, Chai Yun, had a rather ugly expression.
Although the Wuliang Temple was secretly backed by the Lu State, very few people knew that secret. The only reason Lu Ding knew was because Yuwen Longyuan had told him.
So, on the surface.
Even though the Wuliang Temple possessed power beyond that of the Qingyuan Prefecture 749, they still strictly adhered to the laws and regulations of the Qingyuan Prefecture 749.
They were not only a major taxpayer in Qingyuan Prefecture but also a powerful external ally of the Qingyuan Prefecture 749.
Even when Chai Yun had taken over the Qingyuan Prefecture 749, the Wuliang Temple had been extremely cooperative.
Now that the Wuliang Temple had been completely wiped out.
It had caused both the financial resources and combat strength of the Qingyuan Prefecture 749 to drop by more than one level.
And there was an even more critical issue.
A terrifying existence capable of destroying the Wuliang Temple had appeared in Qingyuan Prefecture.
This made Chai Yun feel extremely unsafe.
But the wavering between life and death—he could do his utmost to control it.
"Immediately gather the information, write a report, and submit it. We can't get involved in the grudges here."
He did want to investigate.
But in a situation like this, the mastermind behind it all had to be at least at the God Ascension level, even at minimum.
That was a realm Chai Yun couldn't even dream of touching.
Even if he found out the truth, so what?
Could he lead his people to arrest the culprit?
He could only ask for help from above.
At the same time.
On the other side.
The southern district, Gold Flat.
This was the main stronghold of the Star-Plucking Tower.
A long time ago, this place wasn't called Gold Flat. The wheel of fate began to turn when a young man discovered gold in his cellar.
The young man kept expanding his cellar, digging up gold, and became a wealthy tycoon. But his rise to fortune didn't escape the notice of observant people.
Eventually, the secret was exposed. The young man's family was destroyed. In his final moments, he revealed the secret of the gold.
This triggered a gold rush in the area.
People eventually realized that they had been living on top of a gold mine.
Under the frantic digging, the plains turned into hills and valleys.
Countless gold prospectors built houses against the mountains, one dwelling stacked upon another, layer upon layer, overcrowded to the point of bursting.
To commemorate the original appearance of this place, the name "Gold Flat" was born.
Looking at the density of buildings in front of him, which rivaled a beehive, Lu Ding's head ached.
Places like this were hard to manage, had no development prospects, and were simply a hotbed of crime—a textbook case of more harm than good.
Unless they were demolished and rebuilt.
But with such a dense cluster of buildings, whoever tried to tear them down would go bankrupt.
Fortunately, Lu Ding had already mentally prepared himself. He would just have to see how much destruction they caused later.
Anyway, they had already saved money from the Wuliang Temple—it was pure profit!
As for using the Reshaper—come on. That machine had to supply the entire western region across five districts and was also loaned out to Ying Gou. There was simply no time.
The perpetual motion Reshaper had been running since it was first turned on and had never been shut off.
Lu Ding was really afraid it would break down.
His gaze shifted forward.
The Star-Plucking Tower was located in the very center of the city, like the heart of the beehive where the queen resided. It soared high into the clouds, completely out of place with the surrounding buildings.
It was so magnificent, beautiful, and awe-inspiring that it seemed to belong to a different layer entirely.
Of course, this was also inseparable from the overbearing arrogance of the Star-Plucking Tower.
It didn't allow any building within a thirty-meter radius to exceed that height. They all had to be low-rises, so that its dominance and grandeur could be highlighted.
That such a force could still exist was thanks to the chaotic golden age of the new city.
But all these farces should end here.
Looking at the crowds of people coming and going outside the Star-Plucking Tower.
Lu Ding gave the order: "Clear the area!"
The investigators immediately surged forward.
Voices rang out.
"749 Bureau handling a case! Civilians, clear out!!!"
As that shout sounded, the crowd in front of the Star-Plucking Tower scattered like birds and beasts.