Chapter 119: A Cultist?

When his vision went black, Zhang Ze felt incredibly stifled.

He was a Third-Grade martial artist; being ambushed and injured by a Second-Grade martial artist was one thing, but to be taken down by a group of them when he was clearly on guard? Did he have no dignity left?

Feeling frustrated, Zhang Ze let out a roar. Ignoring his injuries, he threw a punch straight into Tian Guan’s chest. No matter how tough the latter was, he was still just a Second-Grade martial artist, and there was a significant gap in physical strength between him and Zhang Ze.

*Thud.*

The sound was faint, yet it echoed within Tian Guan’s chest. He vomited blood and was sent flying backward. The other three had not yet reacted before a massive fist came crashing toward them. Despite practicing for an entire day yesterday, Zhang Ze’s punch had not even earned Wu Di’s approval, but now, taking down these burly men one by one, he was exceptionally ferocious.

"Ouch!"

The eight burly men, who had been playing mahjong just a moment ago, were now left wailing on the ground, courtesy of Zhang Ze.

*Hoo.*

After a few heavy breaths, Zhang Ze, sporting a black eye, took out his phone. "I’m finished."

...

Zhang Yue stood to the side, her face full of astonishment. After watching for a long while, she finally asked, "What is going on?"

"I beat them up!" Zhang Ze said, his eyes swollen and red, looking quite smug. "They’re just eight Second-Grade martial artists—no big deal, really."

"Which one is Tian Guan?" Ignoring Zhang Ze’s remark, Zhang Yue walked into the center of the group and demanded.

"The one who looks the worst—the one I beat until he puked blood!"

Following Zhang Ze’s lead, Zhang Yue dragged Tian Guan out from the pile of men on the floor.

"You are a cultist!" Zhang Ze stated with unquestionable authority.

Before Tian Guan could even speak, someone on the ground cursed, "Are you brain-dead? Tian Guan is a sales representative for the Provincial Weapons Company. How could he be a cultist?"

Zhang Ze couldn't be bothered to argue with them. In fact, he had been paying close attention to the man’s expression when he made the accusation. The mission was issued by the Martial Arts Bureau; he only cared about getting the job done, not playing judge.

Because Zhang Ze was well aware of this, he said to Zhang Yue, "Take him away. Whether he is a cultist or not is not something we need to consider."

Zhang Yue understood his meaning and dragged Tian Guan out of the room. Sporting his signature smile, Zhang Ze turned to the others as they scrambled up and chuckled, "Carry on, then!"

...

The two drove Tian Guan to a secluded spot.

*Slap, slap.*

Zhang Ze patted Tian Guan’s face. "What is your position in the cult?"

"..."

Tian Guan looked at Zhang Ze as if he were an absolute idiot.

"Let’s just kill him," Zhang Ze said, feeling annoyed by Tian Guan’s expression, and turned to Zhang Yue.

Zhang Yue double-checked the mission details and raised her broadsword high.

"I’m a sales representative for the Provincial Weapons Company! Who exactly are you people? Why are you trying to kill me?" Tian Guan shouted in panic when he saw they were serious.

"Do we really need to figure out his identity?" Zhang Yue asked, seeing Zhang Ze frowning in thought. She added, "Why don't we just hand him over to the Changshan City Investigation Bureau?"

"Then we’ll dump him at the Changshan City Investigation Bureau. It’s time for us to head back to the Martial Arts Bureau anyway!" The burning pain in his face left Zhang Ze with no mood to dwell on these things.

...

As Zhang Yue drove down the road, Tian Guan began to feel a subtle change in his demeanor upon realizing they were truly taking him to the Investigation Bureau.

"I know who the cultist is! Let me go, and I’ll lead you to him! Really, believe me!" As they drew closer to the Changshan City Investigation Bureau, Tian Guan finally couldn't sit still.

Zhang Yue slammed on the brakes.

Zhang Ze still didn't want to engage with him. "Ignore him. Just drop him off at the Changshan City Investigation Bureau and we’ll head back!"

"That guy has a stash of mid-grade equipment!" Hearing Zhang Ze’s words, Tian Guan grew truly desperate and blurted it out.

Zhang Yue was still hesitant, but Zhang Ze immediately changed his mind, as if he hadn't been the one suggesting they send Tian Guan to the Bureau just moments ago. He leaned over to Tian Guan and asked with a grin, "Are you sure that guy has a batch of mid-grade equipment?"

"I’m sure!"

"Heh." Seeing how certain he was, Zhang Ze suddenly threw a punch into Tian Guan’s stomach. The latter’s eyes bulged in pain.

"You mother..."

In truth, it wasn't that Zhang Ze didn't believe him—if he hadn't, he wouldn't have leaned in close. He just felt that Tian Guan would be more cooperative after a beating. He was heavily influenced by the movies he’d seen in his past life.

...

After grinning and baring his teeth for a while, Zhang Ze asked, "Tell me the details about that person!"

Seeing Zhang Ze’s interest, Tian Guan hurried to explain: "His name is Wang Tianguang, also a sales representative for the Provincial Weapons Company."

"And you say he’s a cultist?" Zhang Ze raised his fist as if to strike him again.

Recognizing the threat, Tian Guan quickly explained, "No, no, no... He tried to recruit me into the Sacred Cult... no, wait..."

"He tried to recruit me into the cult, and I refused, which is how I know he’s a member!"

"Heh." Zhang Ze felt his intelligence was being insulted. Without another word, he punched him again. "Do you take me for a three-year-old? If he tried to recruit you and you refused, how are you still alive?"

"I..." Seeing Zhang Ze preparing to strike again, Tian Guan confessed, "I am a cult member... but the Changshan City Investigation Bureau and even the top brass at our Provincial Weapons Company know about this... Wang Tianguang told me he was a cultist, and I was afraid he’d kill me if I refused, so I agreed, but I turned around and reported it to my superiors."

Zhang Ze and Zhang Yue exchanged a look of doubt. Zhang Ze demanded, "If Wang Tianguang’s identity as a cultist was exposed, why didn't the superiors take action? There was such a massive crackdown on cultists in Heyue City—why didn't the Changshan City Investigation Bureau or your company move against Wang Tianguang?"

Tian Guan, voice trembling with a hint of a sob, explained, "I... I don't know that either... But you can ask the people at the Changshan City Investigation Bureau; I really did report it!"

Zhang Ze’s brow furrowed. If everything Tian Guan said was true, why hadn't anyone mentioned it when he and Zhang Yue went to the Bureau to inquire? He gestured for Zhang Yue to take action.

...

About two or three minutes later, Zhang Yue hung up the phone and returned to the car. She looked at Zhang Ze and said in a low voice, "The people at the Changshan City Investigation Bureau confirmed that Tian Guan is indeed a cult member and that they were aware of it. Previously, Wang Tianguang had been used as bait, but due to the recent crackdowns, they deemed these two decoys useless. That’s why they issued the mission through the Martial Arts Bureau, hoping to dispose of them quickly."

Upon hearing this, Tian Guan was the first to break down.

"Why?"

Tian Guan was a six-foot-tall, robust man, but he was weeping now. "Why is it that I’m dead either way?"