fynovel Chapter 23: Let's see who agrees and who disagrees?
Chapter 23: Let's see who agrees and who disagrees?
Chu Jiang slung the baseball bat back over his shoulder and leisurely glanced across the main hall.
He first looked at Ao Zhan, who was embedded in the pillar and whose only outline remained.
Then he looked at the heads of various departments, whose faces were pale and who could barely stand.
Finally, he turned his gaze back to his gleaming silver folding chair, as if it were the most important thing in the room.
"Alright, now no one's bothering us."
Chu Jiang's voice wasn't loud, but it was like a small hammer striking the tense nerves of every ghost and spirit.
"Distinguished leaders, shall we continue discussing our company's investment proposal in the Underworld?"
No one spoke in the main hall except for Ao Zhan's faint groans as he was stuck in the pillar.
The head of the Medicine King Hall, Elder Yao, trembled, as if trying to say something.
He opened his mouth, but when he met Chu Jiang's gaze, he swallowed his words back.
There was no murderous intent in her eyes; she was simply looking at him as if he were a disobedient presentation page turner.
"You...you're using force in the halls of hell! This is blatant disregard for the law!"
A reckless judge, taking advantage of his distance, mustered up the courage to shout something.
Chu Jiang smiled.
"My colleague, that's not a very professional way to put it."
He rose from the folding chair and began pacing in the center of the hall.
"General Ao Zhan is having a 'business exchange' and 'product testing' with me."
"This one of mine is called the 'Merit Physical Salvation Stick.' He just personally experienced our product's 'Rebound Mode.'"
"Look, he's very calm now."
The ghosts and gods followed his gaze and saw that Ao Zhan's eyes were rolled back and he was spitting out soul smoke. He was indeed very stable, so stable that he was about to be completely destroyed.
"What's this called? This is called winning people over with virtue." Chu Jiang spread his hands, his face sincere.
hum-
An indescribable fluctuation emanated from Chu Jiang, instantly sweeping across the entire hall.
It was neither magic nor pressure.
Those ghosts and spirits who were originally filled with anger, greed, and fear suddenly felt that their thoughts were a bit strange.
Anger? Why be angry? Ao Zhan's skills were inferior, and being embedded in the pillar was a reasonable result in accordance with the laws of physics.
Greed? Why be greedy? Those few bottles of water are nothing compared to the chronic diseases that have plagued the underworld for thousands of years.
Fear? What's there to be afraid of? As long as you follow the rules, everything will be fine, right?
An absolutely rational, cold emotion, like program code, began to spread in their hearts.
"What this kid said... seems to make some sense?" One of the officials subconsciously stroked his chin.
"This isn't about using force; it's about showcasing corporate culture," another official muttered under his breath.
Chu Jiang noticed the subtle change in the atmosphere in the main hall and smiled.
He knew that his "words becoming law (falsehood)" was beginning to take effect.
"It seems that people have gained some recognition for my 'product'."
"Let's review a classic business case, the protagonist of which is Wei Wuji."
Chu Jiang's voice became clear and penetrating.
"Formerly the head of the Reincarnation Department, a fully-fledged ghost general, a mid-level cadre and key personnel in the underworld."
"He has a nephew named Wei Tong, who failed the civil service exam."
"Then, he used his power to relegate me, an outstanding new employee who ranked first in both the written and oral exams, to the Sanzu Ferry."
Chu Jiang paused here and looked around at the room.
"Distinguished leaders, are you familiar with this plot?"
"For the sake of their own relatives, they suppress capable newcomers or transfer them to insignificant departments to sit on the sidelines."
"Who hasn't done it? Or rather, who hasn't seen it?"
Inside the main hall, many ghost officials began to dart their eyes away.
They suddenly realized that Chu Jiang wasn't telling a story, but calling out names.
That cold, rational emotion made them begin to reflect uncontrollably.
Did I arrange for my nephew to work in a lucrative department yesterday?
Should I find an opportunity to transfer that new underworld official who defied me to guard the city gate?
What if one day, someone with a higher rank than me tries to arrange a position for their relative and sets their sights on my post... wouldn't I become the next Wei Wuji?
A chill ran from the soles of each ghost official's feet straight up to the top of their head.
Chu Jiang, observing their changing expressions, knew the time was right.
"Even if one Wei Wuji falls, thousands upon thousands of Li Wujis and Zhang Wujis will rise!"
"The problem isn't with people, it's with the system!"
"Our system gives you too much freedom to act and too much power to operate in a vague manner!"
He turned around abruptly and stared directly at the Ten Kings of Hell above.
"Therefore, I propose creating a completely new position!"
"It is not under the jurisdiction of any department, but is only responsible to the Ten Kings of Hell!"
"Its name is 'Order Supervision Post'!"
"It doesn't generate KPIs, nor does it allocate resources. It has only one responsibility: overseeing!"
"Supervise all processes to ensure they comply with regulations! Supervise all officials to ensure they are not abusing their power for personal gain!"
"We specialize in dealing with all kinds of dissent and nepotism!"
These words caused an uproar in the main hall.
"No! Absolutely not!" Old Master Yao was the first to jump out and object.
"It's like a knife hanging over the necks of all of us!" Jin Suanpan exclaimed anxiously.
"Absurd! This is tantamount to shaking the very foundations of my underworld!"
The countless voices of opposition nearly lifted the roof off the main hall.
Chu Jiang looked at them coldly.
"Your foundation? Is your foundation corruption, connections, and mutual protection among officials?"
He took a deep breath, mustered all his strength, and let out a roar.
That voice was a mixture of his mid-stage Ghost King soul power and the pent-up resentment of a transmigrator.
"What does the underworld want?!"
"It's fair!"
"fair!"
"It's still fucking fair!"
This crude, direct, yet deafening cry struck like a thunderbolt from the heavens, slamming into the hearts of every ghost and spirit.
Those officials who opposed the ruling were so shocked that their souls trembled and they were speechless for a moment.
Standing at the back of the main hall were the lowly underworld officials who had been exploited for years, the scribes responsible for recording, and the ghost soldiers guarding the hall.
They were taken aback when they heard this.
Immediately, a surge of passion that had been suppressed for thousands of years rushed to the top of his head.
fair!
Exactly! We patrol so diligently, so why should those with connections get to drink tea and chat in the Medicine King's Hall?
We stay up all night reviewing case files, so why can those second-generation rich kids go straight into the Reincarnation Department?
Why should I?!
"fair!"
In a corner, a young ghost soldier clenched his fists and growled in a low voice.
"fair!"
The second one, the third one...
The sound grew from nothing to something, from small to large, and finally converged into an unstoppable torrent that crashed against the entire Yama Palace.
On the high throne, the expressions of the ten Kings of Hell were all different.
Some were frowning, some were deep in thought, and some were watching the show.
In the end, everyone's eyes were drawn to the person in the very center.
King Qin Guang slowly raised his hand.
The hall fell silent instantly.
He looked down at the young man who had stirred up the storm, and a look that no one could understand appeared on his eternally unchanging face.
"It's time to stir up this stagnant pool of the underworld."
His voice was calm, yet it contained an undeniable determination.
"The 'absolute order' you speak of has served the Netherworld well."
King Qin Guang ignored the sudden pallor of Yao Lao and the others, and made the final decision.
"Order monitoring post, approved."
His authoritative gaze was fixed on Chu Jiang.
"I hereby bestow upon you a new post."
"Inspector of the Underworld Order"
All the ghosts and spirits in the entire hall held their breath.
A new department, a supervisory body that stood above all other departments, was thus born.
Its controller is a new ghost who has been in the underworld for less than a month.
Chu Jiang stood still, neither expressing gratitude nor overjoyed.
He simply watched King Qin Guang quietly, seemingly waiting for what would happen next.
King Qin Guang looked at him and continued speaking.
"You set a good fire."
"In that case, let's burn it even brighter."
"Your first task: thoroughly investigate the accounts of the God of Wealth Temple, which spans nearly a thousand years."
"Start the investigation with Zhao Sifang, the one you arrested."