He Zheng was sitting in Li Zong"s seat. Zu Zhichong crouching at the doorway was talking on the phone with his master shifu.

"Shifu, I swear to G.o.d I"m telling the truth. I"ve got a genius here. It was his first time using an Elementary Lightning Fu but somehow he invoked the Thundercloud! Really. I was not hallucinating. Supt. Li saw it as well! I think this is the "fate" that sect-uncle once talked about!"

As if amazed by it as well, the one on the other end of the phone listened as Zu Zhichong made another torrent of remarks. He Zheng sitting in the chair stared blankly into the front for a while and then looked at Li Zong, who had been forced to sit in another seat. He curled his lip and left him alone.

His eyes slowly swept around the empty office and eventually rested on Tun Shanhai, who was, in the form of a white cat, lying on the windowsill enjoying the sunshine. He Zheng raised his foot and gave Tun Shanhai"s b.u.t.tock a gentle push with his toe. "Where is everybody?"

All Tun Shanhai"s hairs abruptly rose and he twisted his head around to meow ferociously at He Zheng, warning He Zheng to leave him alone.

He Zheng was born rebellious. Telling him not to do anything would only make him more determined to do it. His original intention had been merely to ask Tun Shanhai for some information, but now, feeling challenged, he directly walked to the windowsill and scratched the cat. "Are you telling me or not?"

The white cat screeched, "Beat it! Stay away from me!"

He Zheng sneered, "Li Zong has the power to cut your pay."

Upon saying this, he slightly raised his head, threateningly looking down at the white cat.

Tun Shanhai felt an instant sense of defeat. Lying in He Zheng"s arms, sheer resignation on his face, he replied dully, "They"re out on a task."

He Zheng asked no further questions in the knowledge that this task must be confidential. Seeing the misery and depression on the face of the white cat, He Zheng put him back on to the window ledge. Zu Zhichong, who had just hung up the phone, saw this scene and, stroking his chin, clicked his tongue in astonishment. "It"s so true what they say -- "Everything has its vanquisher.""

"A big cat versus a small one -- a perfect pair," Li Zong chuckled, gave He Zheng a wave, unscrewed the lid of his Thermos bottle in his hand and pushed the bottle to the front of him.

"Drink some." Li Zong spoke not a single needless word.

He Zheng glimpsed inside the bottle and found that it was tea made with red dates and Chinese wolfberries. He Zheng disgustedly shook his head. "No."

Li Zong briefly lifted his left eyebrow.

For some unknown reason, He Zheng felt that Li Zong was rather special in an inexplicable way, the likes of which he had never seen before, as if Li Zong was capable of controlling him by merely gazing at him. After a long eye contact with him, He Zheng, face full of detestation, lowered his head, picked up the Thermos bottle and took a sip. The expression on his face suggested as if he was drinking poison.

Zu Zhichong, who happened to see this, said to Tun Shanhai in a low, faintly envious voice, "Ordinarily, people like us have to kneel down and beg Chief to get a drop of it. The last time Chief allowed me to take a sip was when I was dying after He Zheng squeezed my neck."

That Thermos bottle of Li Zong was not just any Thermos bottle. It was said that the bottle was forged from Primal Lunar Steel and could help restore a cultivator"s vital essence as well as improve common people"s const.i.tution and prolong their lives.

Tun Shanhai sneered, "Do you have the faintest idea of who you are? You think you"re worthy of using such a precious item to supplement your vital energy?" Zu Zhichong felt a twitch of sorrow. Would his chief give a colleague the same treatment that he would give to his wife? Of course he wouldn"t.

Zu Zhichong involuntarily began singing that song "We Are Different".

At this time, Zhen Ni and Han Zhuo happened to have just returned to SMB. Han Zhuo dragged unconscious He Jin out of the vehicle. Remarkably, for him, carrying an adult male seemed to be as easy as carrying a medium-sized sandbag.

Meanwhile, a middle-aged man dressed like a pedant arrived at the doorway of the office of the first action group.

Han Zhuo greeted the man. "Director Zhen."

Zhen Ni called, "Father."

Zhen Daoyuan inclined his head and flicked a glance at the man behind them, a trace of surprise on his face. "Is that guy from He family?"

"He family... I didn"t see this coming."

Zhen Daoyuan heaved a sigh. "Take him to the Ministry of Supervision... It is beyond my expectation that a member of He family is involved in this matter. He Changchun should have known better.

Zhen Ni, inform He Changchun about this and tell all members of the two groups to come here to have a meeting."

"All right." The three of them split up. Zhen Daoyuan pushed the door open and walked inside.

He Zheng was facing the door, so he was the first one to notice Zhen Daoyuan enter the room.

On observing Zhen Daoyuan coming in, Zu Zhichong and Tun Shanhai, who had been roughhousing, instantly fell quiet.

Li Zong rose to his feet from the chair. The sight of He Zheng standing beside Li Zong brought an unnoticeable frown to Zhen Daoyuan"s face.

"Is this He Zheng of He family?"

Li Zong stepped forward and partially blocked Zhen Daoyuan"s view.

"Remember to go and sign the Family Visitor Register later," said Zhen Daoyuan after his gaze shifted to the side.

Li Zong gave a bob of his head.

Originally, Zhen Daoyuan had meant to say something, but after his impa.s.sive eyes swept across He Zheng"s face, he forbore to do so. Though Zhen Daoyuan"s expression remained normal, it made He Zheng feel somewhat uncomfortable.

"The two groups are having a meeting here," said Zhen Daoyuan.

Li Zong turned his wrist and looked at his watch. "How about ten minutes later?"

Zhen Daoyuan nodded his head in the knowledge that Li Zong needed some time to arrange someplace for He Zheng to stay.

Li Zong patted He Zheng on the shoulder, who had been standing there like an outsider all along, and said in a mild tone of voice, "Let"s get out of here first."