Sha Jingwen's face darkened. "When has our bureau ever had predetermined appointments?"
"Never?" Hu Chenrui deflected, "That's what Wu Changgong said after coming to Huaijiang."
Lan Quanxian was stunned: "Wu Changgong clearly just wasn't capable enough!"
"Indeed, anyone coming from the Qiwu Bureau, I don't think they're up to par," Hu Chenrui criticized indirectly.
The tension between both sides instantly became palpable.
"Come on, let's all tone it down a bit." Ye Huayu quickly tried to mediate, glancing at his wristwatch in an attempt to distract Sha Jingwen, "Sha-sha, look at my watch, isn't the color beautiful? Isn't the style new? Shall we talk about something else?"
"I don't want to look, don't want to talk." Sha Jingwen flatly refused, appearing afraid of getting entangled in conversation. As he was leaving with Lan Quanxian, after taking just two steps, he suddenly turned back with furrowed brows and warned, "Don't call me Sha-sha. You call him Old Hu, but you always call me Sha-sha. What's that supposed to mean?"
Ye Huayu was taken aback: "But you're literally a shark, aren't you?"
"Even if I'm a shark, you can't call me Sha-sha!" Sha Jingwen, despite his tough exterior and intimidating presence, angrily retorted, "Why don't you call him Hu-hu?"
Ye Huayu: "But Sha-sha just rolls off the tongue better..."
Sha Jingwen exploded: "You're just looking down on me because you're rich now!"
"How did we get here?" Ye Huayu watched in bewilderment as Director Sha stormed off, "How did I end up in the line of fire?"
Before leaving, Lan Quanxian looked at Hu Chenrui and said gravely: "Director Hu, I hope you don't forget that that person was fine before too, but things can always change."
As Sha Jingwen and Lan Quanxian walked away, Ye Huayu quickly excused himself to Hu Chenrui and hurried after them, leaving only the members of the Huaijiang Observation Bureau behind.
Chu Zhishui, having heard Lan Quanxian's words, asked puzzled: "That person?"
"Director Ye must have mentioned it to you, about the Divine Lord's conflict with the Dragon God back then." Hu Chenrui glanced at Xin Yunmao, who had his hands in his pockets and showed no reaction, as if the matter didn't concern him.
Chu Zhishui nodded: "Yes, he mentioned a bit."
"Qiwu is where the Dragon God was born. He used to have high prestige there, and even today still has followers. Many Dragon God temples remain in the area," Hu Chenrui explained. "As long as the temples aren't completely eliminated, the waters of Qiwu contain spiritual energy, preventing the Dragon God's power from fully dissipating."
"Being a merfolk makes him even more sensitive to it, increasing his hostility," Hu Chenrui sighed helplessly as he gazed into the distance, no longer able to see Lan Quanxian's retreating figure.
Chu Zhishui: "Merfolk?"
Xin Yunmao crossed his arms and explained expressionlessly: "The merfolk were once the Dragon's most devoted followers."
During the great battle, the merfolk had charged most fiercely, but he never went into the sea, so it didn't affect him at all.
"Later, the merfolk split internally. Some, like the one we just saw, no longer believe in the Dragon God, while others still occupy the Dragon God temples, interfering with the Qiwu Bureau's normal operations," Hu Chenrui said. "So it's normal that he's a bit neurotic. It's quite tragic really - he can't even trust his own species, let alone other species."
Lan Quanxian is a merfolk, formerly from the group that believed most strongly in the Dragon God. After his faith collapsed, he joined the Qiwu Bureau and is currently dealing with the remaining Dragon God temple forces. He undoubtedly belongs to the group most prejudiced against Xin Yunmao, and such rigid thinking is difficult to change overnight.
Hu Chenrui smiled: "But don't worry, he's just a section chief, while you're a deputy director. He wouldn't dare raise his voice to you."
"Director Hu, I've been meaning to ask - how come I didn't know I was selected as deputy director?" Chu Zhishui sighed. "There wasn't even a voting process."
"I didn't know I was chosen as Huaijiang Bureau's director back then either. They told me it was 'by popular demand,' so it's normal you didn't know about being selected as deputy director - this must also be 'by popular demand,'" Hu Chenrui said casually.
Hu Chenrui hadn't gone through a voting process back then, only to discover the list had been predetermined.
Chu Zhishui hesitated: "But I don't have enough years of service?"
"Little Chu, you need to understand something - in your case, we can only promote you as an exception," Hu Chenrui instructed seriously. "If we were to go strictly by seniority, how could it possibly be your turn? You wouldn't rank above any of us."
Chu Zhishui recalled that the previous newcomer Jin Yu had already been in the bureau for twenty years. She suddenly understood Director Hu's meaning and realized: "I see."
If they really went by years of service, she indeed would never have a chance in this lifetime.
"Well, these are minor matters," Hu Chenrui waved goodbye. "I'll have a meeting with them this afternoon, and by the time I return, the shop matter should be settled. You can go look around and pick a location later."
Director Hu's attitude showed complete confidence, clearly not concerned about Director Sha and Lan Quanxian.
Chu Zhishui watched Director Hu leave, then turned to Xin Yunmao and asked curiously: "Since there are Dragon God temples, are there Bamboo God temples?"
"No," Xin Yunmao scoffed. "Those temples were all built by humans. I would never respond to their foolish wishes. I don't need such nonsense."
He had never developed a following before, so naturally there were no Bamboo God temples.
He didn't think the merfolk's division was tragic either - it was entirely their own doing, placing their faith in the illusory Dragon God, serving them right to end up fractured and killing each other. Their suffering was self-inflicted; if they hadn't sought anything from the Dragon God in the first place, such a tragedy would never have occurred.
Xin Yunmao's brows were furrowed and his expression tense, his whole being radiating displeasure, clearly not fond of discussing the Dragon God.
Chu Zhishui pondered: "Oh—"
"What's with that expression?" Xin Yunmao contemplated for a few seconds, stealing a glance at her before saying softly, "Do you think I'm not powerful because I don't have temples?"
He truly did despise such things, but temples were symbols of prestige. Could she be thinking he was inferior to the Dragon God?
"Not at all. Since humans build temples, why don't I make one for you?" Chu Zhishui said casually. "I'll put the rocking chair in the courtyard, add some teapots and water, and that'll be your Bamboo God temple."
Xin Yunmao thought of that antique rattan rocking chair and asked, stunned: "That would be my temple?"
Chu Zhishui raised her eyebrows: "You only have one believer, so it has to be modest. Are you going to complain about it?"
After a long silence, Xin Yunmao reminded her: "If you build a temple there, it becomes my activity area. You won't be able to take it back."
Building a temple was easy, but dismantling one was difficult. When humans built temples, they were inviting the god to stay, essentially surrendering usage rights.
"That's fine, it's already full of bamboo anyway, and you're active there now, so making it a temple doesn't matter."
Hearing her quick agreement, Xin Yunmao was speechless for a while. He felt as if a void in his heart was being filled. From his birth, he had been inexplicably besieged, watching a thousand years pass in the blink of an eye, and finally, at this moment, something was changing.
After the great war, other supernatural beings feared and guarded against him. Learning of human ugliness through the deep black dragon flames, he became even more unwilling to approach these insatiable masses.
But now someone wanted to build him a temple, and they hadn't even performed any rituals yet.
"How strange," Xin Yunmao lowered his gaze. "I haven't granted any of your wishes, so why would you build me a temple?"
Chu Zhishui was surprised: "Haven't you granted many already?"
"You call those wishes?" he asked in astonishment. "They're all trivial matters that even humans could handle."
She declared firmly: "If I say they're wishes, then they're wishes. You should value customer needs - even the smallest requests are important."
"...Alright."
Xin Yunmao's eyes were like a lake surface under warm sunlight, rippling with gentle light as he softly said: "But temples are usually built indoors."
Chu Zhishui was stunned: "Huh?"
He awkwardly mumbled: "So it shouldn't be in the courtyard, it should be in your house."
"?"
"You're dreaming," Chu Zhishui's face burned. "You can't come into my house!"
"Why not?" Xin Yunmao muttered, "The temple wouldn't be in your bedroom, they're usually in the living room."
"Shut up, no way," she said decisively. "Unless you're going to be hung on the wall for worship, don't even think about my living room."
"..."
In the conference room, Hu Chenrui opened the door to find Ye Huayu and Sha Jingwen. The annual directors' meeting was held here, with only the four bureau directors present and no other staff participating.
Hu Chenrui glanced at the empty seat and asked: "Director Huang hasn't arrived?"
"Old Huang can't make it," Ye Huayu said. "There have been recent changes in the Kongsang Bureau's situation, with many Dragon God temples reviving, even more than in the Qiwu area."
The directors' meeting wasn't just about discussing money, of course. They regularly exchanged intelligence and discussed their bureau's primary duties - these were the most important matters.
Sha Jingwen's expression turned grave: "Qiwu has been unstable these past two years. We suspect the Dragon God is sensing something and attempting to break free from his seal. Even the exiled merpeople have grown bold."
"And yet you still maintain hostilities," said Hu Chenrui. "If the Dragon God's seal breaks, do you expect me to swallow my pride and beg for his help?"
Sha Jingwen said, "If the Dragon God truly breaks free from his seal, he'll surely come for him first..."
Hu Chenrui countered, "That's not necessarily true. He might first help the old forces deal with the Qiwu Bureau. After all, you've been fighting with his followers for years, destroying countless Dragon God temples. The grudge runs deep."
Sha Jingwen: "..."
"There have been incidents in Huaijiang recently, but they've been handled cleanly without causing much trouble. Even Miao Li detected the Dragon God's demonic aura in his jurisdiction. Mind you, that's near his birthplace. The Dragon God wouldn't carelessly alert everyone unless he felt urgent about something that must be accomplished within these hundred years."
Hu Chenrui fiddled with an ancient coin in his hands, as if gazing into the distance through it.
"Are you referring to the rumor from Kongsang?" Ye Huayu seemed to realize something. "He's trying to find that person from back then."
Sha Jingwen questioned, "But do humans even reincarnate? I've never heard of such a thing."
"They've ascended to godhood; perhaps they see a different world than we do," Hu Chenrui said. "This is just speculation, but if it's true, the next hundred years won't be peaceful. You should resolve your differences with him, or no demon will be able to stop the Dragon God once he emerges."
Xin Yunmao was unfortunate to be born during wartime, but even the Dragon God had been defeated once. This time, he might use indirect tactics and not immediately cause trouble in Huaijiang.
Given Xin Yunmao's personality, he would never strike unless attacked first, let alone actively help other demons.
After long contemplation, Sha Jingwen said, "Our relationship has been tense for so long, especially since Qiwu is the place he despises most. Do you think he would still accept reconciliation?"
Hu Chenrui replied calmly, "I understand your concerns. While past events can't be undone, there's now an opportunity to improve your relationship with him."
Ye Huayu and Sha Jingwen listened to his mysterious words with puzzled expressions, unable to grasp his meaning.
"What opportunity?"
"Address him as Divine Lord..." Hu Chenrui pulled out a paper, "then allocate the business funds and sign the contract to let our Economic Development Department open a shop at your front entrance!"
He believed that if Chu Zhishui's direct-sale store succeeded, the Divine Lord would dismiss all these demons like nothing.
