One person said: The essence of Wuhou Qimen lies not in Qimen, but in Wuhou.

He spoke in a kind and calm tone, as if he were exchanging pleasantries with an old friend, but every word precisely stayed within the bounds of a work report: "Comrade Feng, I am Zhuge Ming, Director of the Party Committee Inspection Office of the company. I'm here today to handle some work matters and, incidentally, to inquire about the recent operations of Tianxiahui Group and the progress of its cooperation with the company. However, given the current situation—"

He glanced around at the wrecked office, the fallen Jia Zhengyu, the shattered coffee table, the torn oil paintings on the wall, the ceiling with a large hole above his head, and Feng Baobao standing barefoot in the middle of the ruins with an innocent look on her face.

He looked away, his smile remaining unchanged: "It seems a bit chaotic. This doesn't look like a place for work-related conversations."

Feng Zhenghao reacted extremely quickly.

He had spent half his life in the business world and then rose to the position of one of the Ten Elders in the world of supernatural beings. He had seen all kinds of situations, but today's scene had truly exceeded all his expectations.

However, his professional ethics did not allow him to show any loss of composure.

He quickly adjusted his facial expression, grasped Zhuge Ming's hands with both, bowed slightly, and spoke with respect and sincerity, every word exuding the tact and discretion of a seasoned businessman: "Director Zhuge, hello! I am Feng Zhenghao, Chairman of Tianxiahui Group, and also a member of the company's Ten Leaders Council. I have long admired Director Zhuge's name, and it is truly an honor to meet you today. This way, please—please come to my private office inside. It's soundproof, quiet, and suitable for discussing work. Please!"

Zhuge Ming nodded, then turned to the soldiers beside him and said, "You handle this."

Before he could finish speaking, two figures rushed into the office like a whirlwind.

Xu Si ran ahead, two buttons on his shirt popped open, the collar was askew on his collarbone, and sweat and oil mingled on his face, glistening under the light.

Xu San behind him was slightly better off, but his tie was askew on his shoulder and his glasses were fogged up.

The two men rushed in like madmen, not even looking at who was lying on the ground or standing, and charged straight toward Zhuge Ming and Zhao Fangxu.

Then the two were stopped by soldiers at the same time—the guns were not raised, but the soldiers' hands were already on their holsters, and their eyes were so cold that they could freeze water.

Xu Si's gaze swept over the holster on the soldier's waist, then over Jia Zhengyu, who was kneeling on the ground, bleeding and unconscious, then over the two dragon-pecking cones on the wall that had been blown away by bullets, and finally landed on the expressionless soldier in front of him, who was ready to draw his gun at any moment.

He swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down, and then made an extremely wise decision—he stood up straight, feet together, hands pressed tightly against his trouser seams, his posture even more perfect than when he first joined the army.

He took a deep breath and shouted in a loud, clear voice, as if shouting a slogan: "Chairman Zhao! Director Zhuge! Xu Si, Head of the North China Region—reporting for duty!"

Everyone in the office was watching him.

Feng Zhenghao was looking at him, Zhao Fangxu was looking at him, and Zhuge Ming was also looking at him.

Stared at by so many eyes, Xu Si felt sweat pouring down his back, but he maintained his posture and continued in a tone that was extremely earnest in admitting his mistake, yet still sounded like he was shouting a slogan: "I was stopped by the security guards downstairs and couldn't get in—I know this is not a reason or an excuse! This situation has affected the safety and work arrangements of the leaders, and it's all my dereliction of duty! I will make a deep self-criticism to the leaders! Please criticize me!"

Zhao Fangxu didn't speak, but simply turned his head slightly to look at Zhuge Ming.

The look in his eyes meant: Boss, you decide.

Zhuge Ming looked at Xu Si's face, which was a mixture of sweat and fear, and saw that this usually carefree old hand was now standing straighter than a raw recruit. The corners of his mouth deepened slightly.

His tone was calm and gentle when he spoke, without blame or accusation, as if he were discussing a minor work assignment: "Comrade Xu, this isn't about whose responsibility it is. We're here to work, so let's not cause any negative impact. You've come at the right time—you're the head of the North China region, so this situation is your responsibility. These two people—"

He pointed at Zhang Chulan, then at Jia Zhengyu lying on the ground, "One is your employee, the other is a dangerous individual. Even if there's to be a trial, you must provide assistance first. Don't let anyone die. Take them back first, and follow the proper procedures."

Xu Si stood with his feet together, his loud voice echoing throughout the office: "Yes, sir!"

Zhuge Ming turned around, slightly tilted his head towards Feng Zhenghao, and gestured with his eyes towards the office inside: "Comrade Feng, let's go."

Zhuge Ming, Feng Zhenghao, and Zhao Fangxu entered the private office inside, and the door slowly closed behind them.

One of the two soldiers went inside and stood guard by the door, while the other stayed in the large office outside.

The one who remained outside glanced down at Zhang Chulan, who was still in a daze, and his lips twitched slightly—not a smile, but a subtle reminder from someone who had been there to someone who was coming after him.

He walked up to Zhang Chulan, his tone unusually calm for someone who had just fired a gun: "Comrade, you've seen so many fake guns that you wouldn't recognize a real one, have you? Don't be afraid—as long as you're a lawful citizen of China, you may never see a gun like this again in your lifetime. I'm serious."

Then he turned to Xu Si, pointed at Zhang Chulan who was still in a daze, and then at Jia Zhengyu who was unconscious on the ground. His tone switched to a standard military command mode, each word concise and clear: "Comrades, these two are suspected dangerous elements. Their actions just now may pose a security threat to the commander. They are in your hands—interrogate them properly, follow the procedures, and if there is any need for cooperation in the subsequent investigation, the military will contact you."

After saying that, he turned and walked towards the door of the inner office, then pushed the door open and went inside.

Xu Si stood there, his chest heaving violently as he gasped for breath.

The tension and fear he felt earlier had all turned into a sigh of relief after surviving a close call. His breathing sounded in the quiet office like the heavy panting of a wild beast that had been chased for several mountains and had finally stopped.

He leaned against the wall with one hand and pressed the other against his chest, feeling his heart pounding wildly behind his ribs, as if it were about to burst out of his chest.

His eyes widened, and he slowly moved his gaze inch by inch until it finally locked onto Zhang Chulan.

After seeing that look in his eyes, Zhang Chulan silently wrote a will in his heart—it's not an exaggeration, it's true.

At this moment, Feng Baobao emerged from somewhere, her steps light and airy as she walked to Xu Si's side. She tilted her head, looked at Xu Si's ashen face, then at the closed door, and slowly said in her signature Sichuan accent, "Xu Si, that looked like a real gun just now—it was so scary! And there wasn't a sound. How could there be a gun? That guy seemed to be a very high-ranking official—"