Chapter 70: I’m an Agent, an Agent of Poverty

Without standing on ceremony, when that Warden opened his mouth to ask if he was a spy, that was the most dangerous situation out of all that Chen Chao had experienced in his lifetime. The current danger was even more terrifying than encountering those demons deep in the mountains outside of Tianqing County. It was even more of a headache than when accidentally falling into the encirclement of demons when hunting demons.

The Warden in front of him was one of Great Liang Dynasty's handful of Nepenthe martial artists; a truly powerful figure. No matter how arrogant and domineering the foreign cultivators were, they would probably have to show some restraint in front of him too.

If the probing right at the start when he entered was just to see how much capability Chen Chao had, the questioning at this moment genuinely had some killing intent aroused.

The study was normal, but once killing intent arose, the entire study was no longer ordinary.

Chen Chao said before that the Great Liang Dynasty would not kill him just like that, because they had to consider what the world thought. But at this moment, he suddenly felt that these notions were very idiotic; idiotic to the extreme.

In the end, he was too idiotic.

The Warden in front of him could kill him at any time. As for how to explain after killing him, it was actually very simple, it only needed the word spy. It was obvious who the common people of Great Liang Dynasty would choose to believe, Chen Chao or this Warden.

At that time, he kept having a voice in his heart that kept tempting him to say a different answer. It was as if so long as he gave the answer that was different, he would be completely free of his present predicament. But after struggling for a long time, Chen Chao still said no.

Just as he said the word, heaven and earth suddenly fell silent.

Killing intent dissipated and the pressure disappeared too. The Warden became that heroic man who looked ordinary again, but was actually not ordinary.

This place was the study room and not hell.

The Warden quietly looked at Chen Chao who was in front of him. It was unknown what he was thinking about.

Chen Chao was gasping heavily for air, like a fish that returned to water anew; greedily enjoying everything now that did not come easy. He knew what his experience meant. It was not an easy thing to be able to survive a Nepenthe martial artist's killing intent.

Hence, he was somewhat rejoicing.

The Warden felt his emotions and said with a slight smile, "The feeling of surviving a calamity feels pretty good, right?"

Chen Chao was silent for a while, as if recollecting the aftertaste of the feeling. The disparity of cultivation realm gave him a deep sense of powerlessness. He had never felt this sense of powerlessness so tangibly before.

Chen Chao asked seriously, "Did Your Excellency really want to kill me earlier?"

"If your answer wasn't satisfactory, that would naturally be the case." The Warden looked at Chen Chao profoundly. He did not make up any lie to deceive the youth in front of him and said calmly, "If you're a spy and you die, so be it. Can you still hold resentment against me?"

Chen Chao thought to himself: even if I'm a ghost, I'll haunt you too. But at this moment, he could only choose to accept such a thing.

"But presently, even though I don't know your identity yet, since you say that you're not a double agent, this Warden is naturally willing to believe you too."

The Warden looked at Chen Chao and said very seriously, "I've rarely been deceived by people in my life. Those who dare to lie to me are all big shots of the world. They can naturally retreat unscathed after deceiving me too. But, you're not one of them. Therefore, if someday, I find out that you were lying to me today, then I'll definitely kill you with my own hands."

As one of Great Liang Dynasty's small number of Nepenthe martial artists, the people that could make him say this definitely would not exceed the number of fingers on one hand.

Very clearly, Chen Chao was the most insignificant out of them.

Chen Chao smiled bitterly and said, "This lowly official can only say that I hope that day never comes."

The Warden's expression eased up.

After saying this, the Warden became casual again and said, "Since everything is ironed out, let's talk business."

"You should know why so many people in the Divine Capital want you."

Chen Chao frowned and was not in a hurry to speak.

The Warden said rather irritatedly, "What are you thinking about?"

The reason why the Warden was annoyed was that he had already expressed his thoughts. If the boy in front of him was not a fool, he should have taken the initiative to say something.

But unfortunately, he did not react.

Hearing the Warden's question, Chen Chao rubbed his head and said, "Although I haven't asked about the specifics regarding the Myriad Willow Convention nor have I asked about how it's competed, this lowly official feels that there's something that seems to be more important than these things."

The Warden said unhappily, "What is it?"

Chen Chao looked into the Warden's eyes very seriously and said, "Before this lowly official came, I ran into many people at the bank of South Lake. One of them was a vice-chairman of the Heavenly Imperial Institution."

Before coming to the Warden Office, there were naturally many people who wanted to chat with Chen Chao. But it was clear that everyone only had one goal.

The Warden vaguely felt that what Chen Chao would be saying next would be somewhat unpleasant.

At least, he would not be willing to hear it.

"He told this lowly official that at present, this lowly official is no longer an official of the warden faction. In other words, this lowly official should currently be a free man."

After learning about this, Chen Chao thought about it seriously and felt that it was the means of His Majesty, the Emperor, who was in the imperial city.

Of course, it resolved some problems for him like this too.

If he was not Tianqing County's warden, he would have no reason to go back anymore. He would naturally be able to remain in the Divine Capital too.

He knew about this before coming here. But after entering this study room, he still repeatedly addressed himself as lowly official. It was naturally to maintain the relationship with the Warden. But, this did not mean that a connection really still existed between them.

"What do you want to say?" The Warden looked at Chen Chao expressionlessly.

Chen Chao smiled slightly and said, "That means that it seems like this lowly official doesn't have an obligation to represent the Warden Office and participate in the Myriad Willow Convention."

Although he encountered many things after entering this study room and even almost died here, Chen Chao still firmly remembered one thing. That was why he would enter this study room.

It was the Warden who had a request for him.

He was currently a hot commodity. If he walked out of the Warden Office, it would be nothing more than walking into another government office.

It would be for the Great Liang Dynasty no matter on whose behalf it was.

The world was so big, how could there possibly be a place where he could not settle down?

The study room was very quiet. The Warden slowly walked over here. He could see that this heroic man was very unhappy at this moment.

Chen Chao inexplicably felt somewhat pleased.

Perhaps this was the pleasure of revenge?

Just as when he saw that middle-aged daoist nun vomit blood in the Ministry of Penalty's main hall.

The Warden was silent for a long time before asking, "What do you want?"

Chen Chao said very sincerely, "It naturally depends on what Your Excellency can take out."