nagpurpolice Chapter 101 Waterway Inspection Division
Chapter 101 Waterway Inspection Division
"In addition, there are some neutral smaller forces that act as lubricants and buffer zones between the major powers."
Mo Tong concluded, "In short, my lord, please be extremely careful on your journey. Gather as much intelligence as possible before taking action. Yuntai Prefecture is not like Gaoyang County; while there are many opportunities, the risks are also considerable."
Fu Que's expression was solemn.
Although Mo Tong only explained the power structure of the Yuntai Prefecture Chamber of Commerce to him, it was clear from this glimpse that the other major powers were also rife with undercurrents.
In particular, the Dragon Tiger Cavalry, as an oversight organization, wields great power but also attracts resentment. Even among the forces of the Great Zhao Dynasty, the local officials of Yuntai Prefecture might not necessarily welcome them.
As a newcomer, I need to be even more cautious. Even if I need to upgrade the ability of the Otherworldly Painter with the Sinful Cloud Ink, I must plan carefully before acting.
After several days of sailing, passing through a magnificent, towering black dam, the boat entered the wider and more turbulent Yangtze River from the inland waterway. The scenery on both banks, with villages rising and falling and smoke curling from their chimneys, gradually became desolate.
Every so often, there are military camps built of huge stones, on which are placed demon-hunting crossbows made by the Imperial Workshop.
This crossbow was not the portable crossbow used by the county soldiers when they attacked the Qi family, nor did it use normal crossbow bolts; it was a hunting crossbow made of special materials.
This was deployed to clear out any potential monsters lurking in the Yangtze River, or rather, to deter them, with the aim of maintaining smooth water transport.
That day, Fu Que and Mo Tong were chatting on the deck. Before they could exchange more than a few words, several shuttle-shaped boats suddenly sped out of the clouds and surrounded them from all directions, their target being the cargo ship they were on.
"Someone's there!"
"They're coming towards us."
The sailors on the ship were seasoned traders who traveled the waterways year-round. The surprise attack launched by 014 was too swift and the target was too precise. The Yu family had no time to escape, and the family's decades of wealth and resources were all taken by 014.
Among these, what 014 values most are the skilled talents cultivated by these families over decades, such as the blacksmiths of the Li family and the sailors of the Yu family. Compared to gold and silver treasures, these talents are the foundation of Gaoyang County.
After much hesitation and even resorting to using county soldiers and elite cavalry as bait, resulting in the deaths of many, 014 still managed to recruit all these talents.
Although the guards on the cargo ship were all skilled martial artists, they were all newly promoted. Previously, all the members of the old family had been sent to do hard labor, so they were somewhat unprepared for this situation.
Seeing these shuttle-shaped boats speeding towards them, they couldn't help but tense up and maneuvered the weapons on the cargo ship, ready to fire at these people.
Those with impatient temperaments were already preparing to lower the barricades to prevent these people from boarding and seizing the ship.
Fu Que had never seen such a scene before, but with the ability of the Otherworldly Painter at his disposal, and his True Vision locking onto the aura of these people, it wasn't too troublesome, so he remained relatively calm.
Mo Tong saw the flags on the bows of the small boats, waved his hand, and ordered the guards on the cargo ship not to make any rash moves and to let these people come aboard.
Soon, the small boat came to the cargo ship. The people on the small boat grabbed the hull of the cargo ship and, relying on their strong physique, leaped over it in twos and threes and stood on the deck.
The leading man's sharp eyes swept over everyone on the deck, without uttering a single unnecessary word: "You have entered the patrol area. Your identities, origins, and responsibilities."
Fu Que remained silent, watching with interest the shuttle-shaped boat that was locked around the cargo ship and moving in sync with it.
His right hand, however, left the embroidered spring knife at his side. Since it wasn't Jiang's bandits, it had little to do with him. Mo Tong could handle the negotiations.
"We are a cargo ship of the Gaoyang Chamber of Commerce. We come from Gaoyang County to Yuntai Prefecture to sell local specialties and purchase goods to take back."
Mo Tong stepped forward and skillfully began negotiating with the other party.
The leading man glanced at Fu Que, who was the most imposing person present. There was a faint aura around him, indicating that he was a Qi Refining martial artist. He had initially thought that Fu Que was the owner of the cargo ship.
But after speaking, seeing that the other party was leaning against the railing and unmoved, just looking at the river view, the leading man, although he had some doubts about why a pregnant woman was in charge, just suppressed his doubts.
As an inspector, he had seen many things and was no longer surprised. He just needed to do his job as usual.
The man in the lead first looked at the packing list and travel document stamps, and found nothing wrong. Then he tilted his head and gestured for his men to go and check the warehouse.
Since its mission was to develop trade routes, 014 naturally wouldn't allow the cargo ship to carry any prohibited items. Soon, after his subordinates came out of the cargo hold and nodded to the leading man, he handed the certificate and list back to Mo Tong.
The leading man cupped his hands in greeting to Mo Tong: "Yuntai Prefecture welcomes everyone. This is a routine inspection, please don't mind."
"It's alright, it's just the duty of the officials. Consider this a small token of our appreciation as an allowance for your drinks to soothe your throats."
With a smile, Mo Tong raised her hand, and a gold ingot of good quality landed in the sleeve of the leading man.
"polite."
The leading man hesitated for a moment, then bent down and placed the gold ingot on the deck. Without saying anything more, he led his men off the ship, and the several shuttle-shaped boats disappeared into the clouds like the wind, just as they had come.
"this……"
Fu Que and Mo Tong glanced at the gold ingots on the deck at the same time, then looked at each other and saw the shock in each other's eyes. When did the cat stop stealing fish?
Waterway patrol work is tough and dangerous, exposed to wind and sun. Without some benefits and kickbacks, who would be willing to do this job? Now, some people are actually turning down the benefits and starting to do things impartially?
How can you survive in the Waterway Inspection Division like this? Just because you're aloof doesn't mean everyone else is.
"I think I regret not accepting Lord Tianguan's offer. Something's not right here. Could it be that the Dragon Tiger Cavalry and the local officials' factions have started fighting amongst themselves? Otherwise, why wouldn't these waterway inspectors dare to accept bribes?"
Fu Que sighed.
For safety reasons, he did not wear the standard military uniform of the Dragon Tiger Cavalry, but instead chose to wear ordinary clothes.
"I also regret my choice a little. Maybe it's because I've been away from the Da Zhao system for too long, so long that I've become a bit of a stranger to it."
Mo Tong sighed slightly as he watched the several inspection ships disappear from sight.
Just as all animals behave abnormally before an earthquake, when the Waterway Inspectors act in ways inconsistent with their status, it also proves that an earthquake-like event has occurred in this area.
This caused the 'rats' to panic.
There's no turning back for either of them right now. No matter what lies ahead, they can only forge ahead.