Dawnless Sovereign-Chapter 142 (3): Dongfang Order

At the Guardian headquarters, Dongfang Sansan had just been informed the names of the three southeastern representatives, and he was very relieved to see that Fang Che was among them.

Everything was progressing in the desired direction, and Dongfang Sansan was in a very good mood.

Whenever he was in such a fine mood, he would habitually go out and take a stroll around the Guardian headquarters.

Everyone working at the Guardian headquarters was eager to see him come out on these strolls.

They knew that these strolls meant that he was in a good mood, and that was always an encouraging sight for everyone.

Right at this moment, a female administrator who was going through reports from the southeast encountered a rather alarming report. "Ten young men from various affluent clans were reduced to braindead vegetables by a single roar under broad daylight, and there are people from the Zhu Clan, the Liu Clan, and the Yin Clan among them," she read aloud in a bewildered voice. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

She then began looking around with a stunned expression because the patriarchs of these three clans were currently working at the Guardian headquarters.

Dongfang Sansan's attention was instantly drawn to the report.

Reduced to braindead vegetables by a roar? And this is a report from the southeast? This isn't a repeat of the Xue Wanshi incident, is it?

With Dongfang Sansan abruptly stopping mid-stroll, everyone immediately turned to look at him, wondering what it was that had suddenly drawn his attention.

"Did something happen in the southeast?"

The female administrator immediately provided more details on the report.

"Chief Supervisor Zhao Shanhe of the southeast and Deputy Chief Supervisor An Ruoxing of the southeast are currently on their way to Rocky City with the three southeastern representatives. The King tier representative, Fang Che, decided to bring his wife along, and they encountered a group of playboys outside Three Rivers City, who tried to harass Fang Che's wife.

"According to the report, Fang Che let loose a roar directly into their faces, and they were so terrified that their mental faculties were completely destroyed! Well-deserved, if you ask me!"

The female administrator was relaying the report as an amusing anecdote, hoping to bring a smile to Dongfang Sansan's face, but the story had the complete opposite effect.

The entire hall had fallen into an uneasy silence.

Is Master Nine angry?

Indeed, Dongfang Sansan was furious. Both Fang Che and Ye Meng had sacrificed so much for the sake of the continent, yet here she was, being harassed in public, and so close to Rocky City, no less!

Dongfang Sansan took a deep breath, then asked in a solemn voice, "What else does the report say?"

"According to witness testimony, after taking care of the group of playboys, he told their guards that his name is Fang Che, and that he comes from the White Cloud Prefecture Hall of Protectionists. He said that he's not putting his life on the line to protect people like them, and that he's doing the world a favor by getting rid of them."

The report was very detailed, and it was clear from its tone that the reporter supported Fang Che's actions.

"Well said," Dongfang Sansan sighed as he took the report from the female administrator to take a look for himself. "There are so many brave souls risking their lives on the front lines, while scoundrels like these benefit from their protection, and here I am, sitting in my office, naively believing that all is well and good in the world. How I have failed in my duties!"

The sense of unease in the hall grew even more pronounced, at Dongfang Sansan's self-deprecating monologue.

"All these years, I've had my attention focused entirely on combating the enemy, yet I've neglected to make efforts in weeding out the degenerates of society among us. In particular, I've been far too lax with all of the prominent clans. If this neglect continues, the foundations of society will gradually be eroded over time. This is just as important a problem to address as the threat posed by the Church of the Self-Righteous. Summon Zhu Cheng, Liu Ran, and Yin Sulai to come and see me."

Before long, the three men hurriedly arrived, feeling very puzzled and unease, and their apprehension was only further deepened by the grim silence in the hall.

"How may we be of service, Master Nine?"

"I have just received a report pertaining to your three clans, among others."

The three men began sweating profusely.

Everyone knew that the more indifferent Dongfang Sansan's tone, the more angry he was.

What happened back home? It must be something serious if Master Nine is so angry that he's summoned us just for a scolding!

"How can we rectify our mistakes, Master Nine?"

"There are no mistakes for you to rectify. On the contrary, your clans appear to be the victims here. Some young men from your clans went out harassing women, and they decided to target a married woman, only to be reduced to braindead vegetables by the woman's husband. Do you need me to step in and seek justice for your clans?"

The three men were trembling in fear at this point.

Cold sweat was pouring down their faces, and they fell to their knees as they implored, "Please give us a chance to make amends, Master Nine! We'll be sure to look into this matter and hand down some severe punishments!"

"Go back and check on the state of your clans. If you need any help, I can send Bing Qianshan to assist you."

"Yes, Master Nine! We'll be sure to look into the matter!"

Never had the three men seen Dongfang Sansan so angry before, to the point that he was making an example out of them in front of everyone.

The three of them were the first ones to have received this unique "honor" for hundreds of years, and they were so terrified that their brains had turned to mush.

After a tense silence, Dongfang Sansan sighed, "Countless Guardians and Protectionists are sacrificing themselves every single day in order to protect the peace and prosperity of this continent. They could easily go decades without even once having the opportunity to sit down and have a meal with their families. The representatives coming here from all over the continent are doing so to take part in selection trials. Selection trials for what? To decide who gets to represent us against the Church of the Self-Righteous!

"They are our heroes! We can't ensure the safety and survival of our heroes, but if the people near and dear to them are being brazenly harassed and disrespected by others, then what point is there in their sacrifices? It was only under the protection of our heroic predecessors that the three of you were able to establish clans in Three Rivers City, yet now, your descendants are going around harassing the wives of those heroes. Is what your clans have become? I am truly disappointed!"

With that, Dongfang Sansan returned to his office, while the three men remained kneeling on the ground long after he was gone.

Some people came to help them to their feet, only to discover that their legs were so feeble that they were incapable of standing on their own.

"Don't help them up!" the chief supervisor of the Guardian headquarters snapped. "Throw them out of here!"

The three men were kicked out of the Guardian headquarters, and almost immediately thereafter, an order rang out from inside.

"Master Nine has ordered an exhaustive investigation into all of the continent's prominent clans, from the second rank to the ninth rank with no exceptions, and the investigation is to begin with immediate effect!"

The three men were still unable to stand as they trembled incessantly with looks of rage and horror on their faces.

"What the hell did those little shits do?!"

"We have to go back to our clans right away and launch investigations right away. We're all in huge trouble now..."

"Kill those that deserve to be killed and punish the rest. Master Nine has already done us a great kindness by refraining from personally handing down punishments upon our clans..."

The three men hurriedly clambered to their feet before racing back to Three Rivers City, fueled by fear and fury.

It was only through countless generations of hard work that their clans had become what they were today, and all of it was now at risk of crashing and burning, just because a few scumbags couldn't keep it in their pants!

Dongfang Sansan's offer to have Bing Qianshan help them was such a thinly veiled threat that it was barely even veiled at all.

The only way Bing Qianshan could help them would be to erase their clans from the face of the continent!

***

Fang Che's group was able to enjoy a peaceful meal at Three Rivers Restaurant, much to the surprise and suspicion of Zhao Shanhe, An Ruoxing, and Old Man Shen.

Are they really not coming after us just because An Ruoxing told them his name?

Even An Ruoxing himself didn't dare believe that.

Perhaps that would've worked in the southeast, but surely he didn't possess anywhere near as much influence here!

Since when had the prominent clans around the Guardian headquarters become so principled and easygoing?

After the meal, they stepped out into the city, and they could immediately sense that there had been a shift in the atmosphere.

Groups of people dressed in Protectionist uniforms were running around everywhere along with personnel from the local authorities, putting up fliers wherever they went.

At the top of each flier were two large and prominent words: "Dongfang Order!" "From this day forth, exhaustive investigations are to be conducted into all of the prominent clans on the continent. Those who have committed the following ten transgressions, in particular, are to be punished swiftly and severely."