Chen Mansion.
In the bedroom, Chen Mo stood in front of a bronze mirror sizing himself up.
His complexion was as fair as porcelain, his face as beautiful as jade, his expression exuded nobility.
Dressed in a tight, ink-black outfit with a scale pattern embroidered subtly on it, and armed with a three-foot horizontal saber at his waist, he embodied the dashing figure of a finely carved jade.
"Not bad, pretty much the same as my past life."
Chen Mo pinched his chin, nodding slightly to himself.
Although Chen Zhuo had confined him to stay within the mansion for a month, he couldn't possibly stay put that long.
Now that his injuries had fully healed and he had advanced to the sixth-rank, even if remnants of the Moon Brilliance Sect were still in the city, they might not be his match!
"As a Martial Artist, one should be courageous and diligent. Being timid will hardly achieve great deeds!"
"Off to work!"
Just as he stepped out of the Chen Mansion's main gate, he bumped into a figure clad in white.
It was the Female Officer who had escorted him to the palace yesterday.
"Young Master Chen..."
"You've mistaken me for someone else."
Without waiting for her to finish, Chen Mo quickly turned around and headed back toward the mansion.
All dressed up and nowhere to go…
"…"
The Female Officer gestured with her hand.
A strong suction force emerged, and Chen Mo felt the surroundings rapidly reversing as his body uncontrollably moved in front of the Female Officer.
"Why does Young Master Chen avoid me?"
With a frown of confusion, the Female Officer inquired.
"It's not that I'm avoiding you, it's just..."
Chen Mo stopped mid-sentence and asked, "Does the Empress want to summon me to the palace again?"
Recalling the events of yesterday, he felt uneasy. Could the Empress be intending to silence him forever?
"That's not the case."
"Young Master Chen did not receive his reward yesterday, so the Empress specifically asked me to deliver it."
The Female Officer presented a jade box.
"Reward?"
Chen Mo blinked in surprise.
He reached out to take it, opened the box, and saw a Jade Scroll and a Token inside.
The instant his fingers touched the Jade Scroll, a prompt flashed before his eyes:
[Received Heavenly Rank Top Grade Martial Technique: Sleeve Green Dragon.]
[Would you like to learn it now?]
"Heavenly Rank Top Grade?!"
Chen Mo nearly bit his tongue.
Knowing that even an Earth-Level Martial Arts technique was a peak achievement among mortals and would cause a fight among significant powers if it spread to Jianghu.
Only a massive entity like the Three Saint Sect could potentially possess Heavenly Rank Secret Techniques!
And yet Consort Yu had lightly gifted such a treasure...
It seems this leg I'm clinging to is frighteningly sturdy!
Considering that the Female Officer was still nearby, Chen Mo decided not to start learning immediately and instead focused his gaze on the Token.
It felt icy cold to the touch, neither metal nor stone, likely made of some special material, engraved with a Phoenix ascending, vividly lifelike as though it were alive.
"This is..."
"This is the Purple Phoenix Order. This token represents the presence of the Imperial Consort herself!"
The Female Officer spoke succinctly.
Chen Mo was visibly shocked!
He was well aware what weight the words "the Imperial Consort herself" carried.
Compared to Heavenly Rank Martial Techniques, perhaps this Purple Phoenix Order was the most significant reward.
"For the minor merits I've achieved, I truly do not deserve such a generous reward, so this is... a silencing fee?"
"Indeed, the Empress must be reminding me not to let any word slip."
Chen Mo reflected secretly.
At that moment, the Female Officer reminded him, "The Purple Phoenix Order represents the Empress's authority and should not be used unless absolutely necessary."
Chen Mo bowed respectfully and asked, "Thank you for the advice. May I know how to address you, miss?"
The Female Officer, with her hands behind her back, responded indifferently: "Xu Qingyi, a director at the palace."
"So, it is Director Xu."
Chen Mo straightened up, raised the token, and declared, "Director Xu, heed this order."
Female Officer: "…"
Her eyes twitched wildly, and her fists clenched tightly. Looking at the purple token, she ultimately lowered her head.
"I want you to help me investigate someone..."
...
"Director Xu, take your time~"
Watching the figure who seemed to shrink into inches swiftly leave, Chen Mo's smile gradually faded.
"The ritual of offering sacrifices to heaven is a necessary path for every antagonist."
"Counting the days, he should be arriving in Tiandu City soon, right?"
...
North of the city, Yizhen Square.
A vast building complex situated there, with towering flying eaves and majestic structures.
Black bricks and tiles, high walls deep courtyards; from afar, it looks like a fierce beast lying in wait, a full sense of oppression.
This is the headquarters of the Sky Scale Guard.
As an agency autonomous from the Three Divisions and Six Ministries, the duties of the Sky Scale Guard are extensive, including but not limited to: intelligence gathering, non-torture interrogation, official investigation, and covert assassinations...
Sometimes, when the government office cannot handle certain cases, the Sky Scale Guard would collaborate.
Simply put, they do all the dirty and tiresome work.
Originally, the Sky Scale Guard was directly under the Emperor's command, but now as Emperor Wu Lie's life is nearing its end and his power is splitting, the Sky Scale Guard has been infiltrated by the Imperial Palace Faction and the Imperial Consort Faction, becoming one of the battlefields of their struggle.
The Sky Scale Guard is divided into five institutions and ten bureaus, each institution comprising up to a thousand households.
The ten bureaus are named after the Heavenly Stems:
Jia Wood, Yi Wood, Bing Fire, Ding Fire, Wu Earth, Ji Earth, Geng Metal, Xin Metal, Ren Water, Gui Water.
Among them, Wu Earth, Ji Earth, Ren Water, and Gui Water are controlled by the Imperial Consort Faction, while the other six are under the Empress Faction.
And Chen Mo's position is a General under the Gui Water Bureau.
He oversees five small flag officers, totaling fifty people.
With his age, reaching this position is already considered a special promotion.
No way around it, who doesn't have connections above?
Entering the grand gate of the Sky Scale Guard, the vast training ground is already packed.
And the moment Chen Mo entered, the originally noisy atmosphere suddenly quieted down.
All eyes converged on him.
Recently, the name "Chen Mo" has been widely discussed in Tiandu City.
Whether it's the broken engagement or the disappearance of the Oiran, all are inextricably linked to him.
Plus, with him not appearing for several days, it inevitably led to wild speculations.
"Boss Chen."
"Boss, you're here."
A fat and a thin man greeted Chen Mo.
The fat one is Qin Shou, and the thin one is Liu Mang, two small flag officers under Chen Mo who usually stick close to him.
Chen Mo nodded slightly, just about to speak, when suddenly, a mocking voice rang out:
"Oh, isn't this General Chen?"
"I thought you had quit your official position."
"Tearing up the marriage contract for an Oiran, only to end up with nothing, losing both wife and troops. Have you been hiding in bed crying these days?"
The speaker is a short-statured man.
Thick eyebrows, bulbous nose, his face pockmarked as if a strawberry with seeds picked out.
A small flag officer from the Ding Fire Department, Yan Xun.
These words instantly provoked a burst of laughter.
Chen Mo did not speak, his gaze sweeping over, memorizing every laughing face.
"Shut your fucking mouth!"
"Yan Xun, are you fucking seeking death?"
Qin Shou pointed at Yan Xun's nose and cursed angrily.
Liu Mang's face was expressionless, one hand already resting on the handle of his sword.
"It's just a joke, General Chen wouldn't take it personally, right?"
Yan Xun shrugged, saying with a smile.
"Of course not."
Chen Mo responded indifferently.
Yan Xun's expression became even more smug, thinking that Chen Mo had accepted the mockery.
"Because you're not worthy."
As the words fell, Sword Qi burst forth!
Chen Mo's strike, however, was not aimed at Yan Xun, but at the pale-faced man silently watching the drama, his eyes filled with mockery.
Ding Fire Department's General, Yan Xun's elder brother and immediate superior, Yan Liang!