Start with a red name

"It is said that the way to manage subordinates is to use both sweet treats and a big stick."

"The monthly allowances and pensions are far more generous than those of other forces, and the internal rules of the gang are more lenient. Compared with other forces in Yuanzhou, these are like sweet dates."

Not to mention the 'Saint's Blessing,' which is a one-of-a-kind product with no branches anywhere else; it's no exaggeration to say it's so sweet it'll make you swoon!

"These sweet dates have long exceeded what other forces can provide."

Compared to that, the supporting equipment for this "big stick" is really too outdated.

"Now, it's time to fix this deficiency."

Geng Xuan said these words in a calm tone.

Not to mention Luo Qing, Fang Jintang, Hong Quan and others who had spent the most time in close proximity to Geng Xuan, even Ji Cong, Xue Zhiheng and others felt the chilling killing intent hidden beneath the calm surface.

"..."

After a moment of silence, Fang Jintang asked:
"Does the gang leader have specific rules and regulations?"

Geng Xuan's gaze swept over everyone in the room.

After going back and forth two or three times, it still landed on Chen Zhan, who said:
"After looking around, this is the most suitable for your major. You will be in charge of the punishment hall for the time being."

"Huh?" Chen Zhan was astonished.

Upon hearing this, Fang Jintang was also startled and looked up at Geng Xuan, hesitating to speak.

He now knows that Chen Zhan has been authorized by the gang leader to plant spies throughout the gang.

It can be said that he can conduct a "dissecting" investigation of anyone if he wants to.

In his experience, if you really want to find fault with someone, as long as you put in enough effort, you will find something wrong with them.

That alone is enough to make people wary.

What offers some semblance of reassurance is that Chen Zhan and his "eyes" only have the power to investigate and spy; how to deal with them ultimately rests with the gang leader.

But now, the gang leader actually wants to hand over the Punishment Hall to Chen Zhan as well.

Doesn't this mean he has the right to "do whatever he wants" within the gang?!
He handled everything himself: investigating cases, convicting criminals, and enforcing the law.

Although he had no grudge against Chen Zhan, as the deputy leader who was in charge of the gang's affairs, he instinctively felt that this arrangement was inappropriate.

Little did he know that Chen Zhan felt no joy at such an expansion of power; he only felt as if a hot potato had been forced into his hands.

He quickly declined, saying frankly:
"Chief, anyone in the gang is more suitable to be the head of the Punishment Hall than I am."

Geng Xuan waved his hand and said:
"You can discuss who will run the future punishment hall. If you have any suitable recommendations, please let me know."

Now, you can treat this as a temporary task and handle it as a special case.

My only requirement for you is to thoroughly overhaul the discipline within the gang.

"Huh?" Chen Zhan's tone was somewhat puzzled.

"Let's leave aside what everyone did before joining the Giant Bear Gang."

"But I need to thoroughly investigate everything that everyone has done since joining the Giant Bear Gang, especially whether they have committed any heinous acts such as the massacre of the Fan family of five."

"Huh?!" Chen Zhan's tone became somewhat shocked.

"Isn't this excessive?"
It's not like we're going to dig up old stories from ten or eight years ago.

The vast majority of members of the Giant Bear Gang have been with the gang for less than a month.

Most of the time, they're right under my nose.

Although not specifically emphasized, each batch of new members joining the Giant Bear Gang should receive warnings about what they can and cannot do.

"...In such a short time, with such clear instructions, to still commit such a heinous act, there is really no reason to tolerate it."

"...Yes, I know what to do." After a moment of silence, Chen Zhan replied in a low voice.

Geng Xuan looked at Fang Jintang and said:
"Pick two more suitable deputies for him and get the structure of the punishment hall up and running as soon as possible."

"Yes." Fang Jintang answered without any hesitation.

After pausing for a moment, Chen Zhan quickly asked:

"Does the gang leader have any instructions regarding the enforcement standards of the Punishment Hall?"

Geng Xuan said:
"Your Criminal Investigation Department can discuss the specific enforcement standards internally first, and then consult with Deputy Chief Fang."

Hearing this, Chen Zhan secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

But soon, Geng Xuan's next words immediately made his heart jump to his throat.

"...Although I don't have the specific standards here, I can give you four words: 'Severe and strict'."

In cases like the massacre of the Fan family of five, all those directly involved were executed.

Others who indirectly provided convenience or cover for the perpetrators should be punished more severely if they were aware of the crime, and those who were unaware should also be sentenced to hard labor; they should not be allowed to get away with it easily.

"...Yes." Chen Zhan replied, feeling incredibly bitter, as if he had eaten bitter herbs.

After deciding on the strategy, Geng Xuan didn't discuss the matter further.

Seeing that no one had anything more to say, he told them to disperse and not to stay by his side any longer.

Geng Xuan was extremely generous with the good fortune bestowed upon these high-ranking members of the gang this time, resulting in a rapid improvement in their cultivation and strength.

At least half of them broke through their original level and reached a higher level.

Even those who didn't seize the opportunity to break through were those who had only recently broken through and whose experience was too shallow.

This stroke of good fortune has essentially put them on the verge of the next stage.

……

After the people left, Geng Xuan began practicing the "Heaven and Earth Stance" on his own.

Time passed, and the night ended with the dawn.

The morning sun on the first day of the Lunar New Year shone on both banks of the dried-up ancient Zhushui River.

The construction site, which had been silent all night, became lively again.

Upon closer inspection, one can also discover that, compared to before, there is an even stronger, intrinsic driving force.

Those were hearts fervent and eager to achieve great things, leaping powerfully along the banks of this dried-up ancient riverbed.

Geng Xuan never stopped his cultivation, but simply used "Earth Listening Spider Web" to remain a silent observer.

Around 10 a.m., Geng Xuan finally emerged from the "Heaven and Earth Stance" state.

This practice, which lasted for several hours, brought him considerable gains.

Including the time he squeezed in for training during the return journey.

The three skills, "Crane Control Hand," "Heart-Stealing Roar," and "Blood-Draining Hand," have all been digested and absorbed at the Master level, advancing to the even higher Grandmaster level.

Furthermore, during his return journey, crossing the Hang River from north to south also advanced his "water-walking skills," moving him from beginner to intermediate level.

The reason he withdrew from his cultivation state at this moment was that the time was almost up.

Secondly, the last group of people he was waiting for also arrived.

Zhaluo, who guards the "Ochre-Red Eye" basin, cannot be summoned by anyone without his personal message.

Last night, after the blessing ceremony, Geng Xuan had Fang Jintang temporarily arrange for a group of his gang members to go to the basin for a change of guard, and also sent three Xuanqinghai sand eagles there.

This prompted Zhaluo to lead his people eastward back.

Accompanying him were Xu Peng and others stationed at the outpost. The importance of the "Ochre-Red Eye" basin goes without saying; the more than two million shi of grain and the medicine worth tens of millions of taels are like ballast for the many tasks currently being carried out by the Giant Bear Gang.

This time, he made a special trip back to Yuanzhou to bestow blessings at the end of the year. The round trip was more than 10,000 miles, so it was impossible for him to overlook Zhaluo, Xu Peng and others who were responsible for guarding this place.

Half an hour later, Geng Xuan completed the blessing and reward ceremony for the group led by Zhaluo and Xu Peng.

Although this group is small in number, it has received a great deal of attention.

Among them, Zha Luo and Xu Peng were the most outstanding.

The two had already accumulated a very deep foundation in the late stage of Marrow Refinement, especially in Meridian Establishment, and were only one step away from the peak of Marrow Refinement.

With the generous good fortune bestowed upon them by Geng Xuan, both of them broke through their cultivation levels and advanced to the peak of the Marrow Refining stage.

Before Geng Xuan's return, the strongest member of the Giant Bear Gang was only at the late stage of Marrow Refinement, and there was no one at the peak of Marrow Refinement.

Now, two people have achieved perfect enlightenment in the first realm.

There were originally three peak-stage Marrow Refinement cultivators: Xue Zhiheng and the two elders of the Xu family.

The six newly promoted peak Marrow Refinement experts are Zheng Qingyan, Yan Wenxuan, Chen Zhan, Han Jian, Xu Peng, and Zhaluo.

Of the original four late-stage Marrow Refinement cultivators, three, apart from Fang Jintang, have all advanced to higher realms.

The number of people who broke through to the early stage of Marrow Refinement, as well as those who progressed from the early stage to the middle stage, and those who broke through from the middle stage to the late stage, far exceeded the number of people who had done so in the past.

As for those below the Marrow Refining level, the number of people who break through is even greater.

Even those who haven't broken through to a higher level have made tremendous progress.

This time, the reason why the recipients of the reward for their good deeds made such great progress is because of this.

On the one hand, everyone has made ample preparations, and many people have been eagerly awaiting this moment.

The more important reason, of course, is his unprecedented generosity.

The total number of people who received awards at the Baidi Temple this time was 9735.

Ten people received a super gift package of 96 lucky points.

Luo Qing, Fang Jintang, Hong Quan, Zhaluo, Chen Zhan, Jiang Hongyi, Han Jian, Xu Peng, Tang Caizhu, Cheng Hui.

Another twenty people received 80 points of good fortune, which would have been unimaginable in the past.

Wang Bi, Ding Yong, Xue Zhiheng, Zheng Qingyan, Yan Wenxuan, the two elders of the Xu family, Qi Mingcheng, Ji Cong, Guo Zian, Granny Xu...

In addition, forty people received 64 points of good fortune, sixty people received 48 points of good fortune, and eighty people received 32 points of good fortune.

In addition, even more people got lucky with 24 points, 16 points, and 12 points.

In addition, more than 1,000 people got 8 points of good fortune, more than 2,000 people got 4 points of good fortune, and more than 4,000 people only got a little taste of the sweetness and got 2 points of good fortune.

In total, these 9735 people consumed 56,810 points of luck from Geng Xuan.

Despite the enormous expenditure, it did not put any pressure on Geng Xuan.

Compared to the expenses, the good fortune gained during this period far outweighed the expenses.

It's one thing that he personally developed the "Xuanzhou Black Wind Gang Branch Line".

During this period, the real major profits actually came from the "Elimination of the Remnants of the Yuanzhou Wuyou Palace," which he did not personally participate in.

Starting from the 23rd, hundreds of people have died every day as a result.

They could be "one of our own," remnants of the Wuyou Palace, or innocent cultivators caught in the crossfire.

At first, the death toll was over four hundred, then over five hundred.

As time goes by, its scope and scale are rapidly expanding.

The death toll climbed to over 600, then over 700, and then over 800.

On the 28th, the number of dead in this "clearance operation" exceeded nine hundred.

By the 29th, the number had increased further, but it did not break a thousand.

Yesterday, the last day of the lunar year, the death toll began to decline, but it did not fall below 900.

After a brief analysis, Geng Xuan determined that it wasn't because everyone was busy celebrating the New Year.

That's just the way things are.

If you compare it with the related information, such as the daily increase in Baiyun, you can feel this even more clearly.

Starting from the 27th, the number of new Baiyun points added each day has been decreasing.

From 10 o'clock, it dropped to 9 o'clock, then to 8 o'clock...

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, the daily death toll in this protracted "purging of the remnants of the Sanssouci Palace" will peak on the 29th of last year's twelfth lunar month and then gradually decline until the mission is completely over.

However, due to this recruitment, thirty-six more points of White Luck have been added.

And then, the unexpected happened.

Is this considered a "backstab from the gang leader"?

My subordinates are fighting valiantly on the front lines, why would the leader suddenly stab them in the back?!
This time, Geng Xuan really didn't do it on purpose.

However, it is also an undeniable fact that those gang members who were sent out, as well as the larger number of newly recruited temporary gang members, were pushed into more dangerous situations.

After a brief silence, Geng Xuan realized that he could still bear such a "blow".

As of the 17th of the twelfth lunar month, this "purge" alone had brought Geng Xuan a total of 8308 points of good fortune.

This reward cost over 50,000 points, which is about one-third of the total gains.

Including the previous ones and the remaining ones from the Xuanzhou Black Wind Clan, the red fortune accumulated within the "Flint Pearl" has reached a whole new level.

……

[Lucky Draw: 1,341,336]
Black luck: 23,016

……

After completing the task of rewarding Zhaluo, Xu Peng, and the last group of members, Geng Xuan didn't linger. He simply gave a few instructions to Fang Jintang, Luo Qing, and the others before gracefully disappearing into the distance.

Shortly after Geng Xuan left, Fang Jintang, Qi Mingcheng, and others prepared to head south to return to their respective posts.

A carrier pigeon that had traveled hundreds of miles from Moon Dew Plain landed in Cheng Hui's hands.

Cheng Hui skillfully pulled the paper roll from the pigeon's leg, glanced at it, and was suddenly startled.

Find Fang Jintang, who is about to embark on a long journey, and persuade him to postpone his trip south.

Fang Jintang was completely confused, but Cheng Hui quickly called over Luo Qing, Hong Quan, and the others.

He also gathered Xue Zhiheng, Xu's parents, and others, who were preparing to return to Yuanjing, together as newly joined members of the Giant Bear Gang.

Seeing his imposing manner, everyone felt a surge of curiosity.

After he finally stopped trying to pull more people in, Fang Jintang glanced at the crowd and finally couldn't help but ask, "Cheng Hui, what's going on that requires such a big fuss?"

Cheng Hui then handed over the scroll of paper in his hand, saying, "Take a look."

Fang Jintang took the scroll, unfolded it, glanced at it, raised an eyebrow, and asked in confusion:

"This...who is Ji Yunxiao? He wants to personally visit our leader in the Giant Bear Gang. Is there any reason behind this?"

Before Cheng Hui could answer, Chen Zhan said, "If I remember correctly, Ji Yunxiao is Xu Xiangfeng's newly recruited strategist last year." (End of Chapter)