First-Year Internship—And You Went to Site 749 to Contain Monsters?!

”This marsh water essence has traces of someone else’s essence in it, which is a bit disgusting, but I can help you remove it. It might still feel a bit off, but it’s not a big problem. You could also choose to exchange it for something else.”

Lu Ding held the power of [Touch of Gold Turns to Stone] to decompose and recompose matter. Purifying the filth within this marsh water essence was something he could still manage.

But he would absolutely never use it himself. He couldn’t get past the mental block.

Listening to this, Chai Yun did indeed find it somewhat nauseating.

But when he heard that Lu Ding could help him remove it, even though the mental hurdle was hard to accept, thinking about his strength and the fact that Lu Ding hadn’t said it openly but had whispered it through sound transmission—no one else would know—he steeled himself mentally.

He spoke out loud, for everyone to hear: ”Then I’ll humbly accept. Many thanks, Grand Duke Lu.”

This time, his bow was exceptionally solemn.

He was grateful that Lu Ding had secretly transmitted the message to him, giving him an out. If Lu Ding had said it out loud, he really wouldn’t have known what to do.

After all, he was someone who valued his pride.Watching the two of them acting so mysteriously, Ying Gou and Min Fang exchanged glances, both seeing confusion in each other’s eyes.

What’s going on?

Whispering secrets?

Keeping things hidden like that.

Afraid someone’s going to snatch it or something?

Great.

Lu Ding pulled out the slip that Yan Feifan had written for him earlier when he led the people away.

Back when he seized territory himself, he’d never done anything like this.

Lu Ding himself hadn’t thought of it, and Fu Xinghe had never gone through this process either.

This was kind of like a house sale contract or an IOU.

Only Yan Feifan’s way of thinking could be so uniquely bizarre.

Lu Ding held up the slip: ”So, let’s go through the formalities. Sign here, press your fingerprint, and consider it handed over today?”

Chai Yun stepped forward: ”Where do I sign?”

Lu Ding pointed out the spot for him.

After Chai Yun signed and pressed his fingerprint, Lu Ding handed it to Min Fang.

Finally, as the witness, Lu Ding also signed his name and pressed his own fingerprint.

After all that was done, he looked at Ying Gou and Min Fang: ”You two handle the rest yourselves from here.”

”I’m heading out now. There are still things to do in the western region. If any issues come up later, just message me.”

Min Fang nodded.

Ying Gou thanked him: ”Thanks, Lu Ding.”

Lu Ding: ”Don’t mention it. I should thank you too. We’re helping each other out.”

”I’m off.”

He waved goodbye.

Chai Yun stood up: ”Grand Duke Lu, let me see you out.”

Min Fang was about to stand and follow to see him off too, but Ying Gou grabbed him and held him back.

Confused, he asked: ”Why’d you pull me?”

Ying Gou looked somewhat disdainful: ”People like you are stupid without even knowing it. You have absolutely no sense of the situation. Those two had their own arrangements to discuss in private. You couldn’t see that?”

Min Fang: ?????????

”Huh??? Really?”

Ying Gou turned his head in exasperation: ”Forget it, I can’t be bothered with you. People like you, even if cured, would still drool.”

Min Fang immediately got irritated: ”Hey, Ying Gou, what’s your deal? Every word out of your mouth has a sharp edge. Who the hell are you cursing at!?”

Ying Gou stood up: ”Heh... hahahahahaha... I’m cursing you. What’s the matter? Back at Gold Flat, you cursed me out, remember? Now I’m cursing you back, and you can’t take it? You’re pathetic. Why are you so hypocritical!?”

He had been holding a grudge all along. Earlier at Gold Flat, when this Min Fang showed up, he’d pointed at Ying Gou’s nose and cursed him out.

Ying Gou felt pretty wronged, but since Lu Ding was there and had serious business, he’d held back his complaints for the moment.

Now that Lu Ding was gone, it was time to start.

Feeling Ying Gou’s provocation, Min Fang stepped forward to square off: ”What the hell, how are you this cocky? Who do you think you’re talking to!?”

Ying Gou stood his ground, half a head taller, looking down at Min Fang: ”I’ve been awesome since I was a kid. What are you gonna do about it?”

Min Fang’s rage flared up. He didn’t care whether he could beat Ying Gou or not, and forgot the fact that Ying Gou was stronger than him.

The moment came.

One electric punch—a fist as big as a sandbag—came swinging straight at Ying Gou’s eye socket.

Crackling and popping, the two started fighting.

Min Fang couldn’t compare to Huangfu Lingyun. Huangfu Lingyun had hard bones and would never cry out no matter how much he got hit.

Min Fang wasn’t like that. The moment he got hit, he started wailing and yelling.

He threw the first punch, he cried out first, and he begged for mercy first.

After Ying Gou finished beating him and came out feeling refreshed and clear-headed, Min Fang followed half a step behind, emerging from the room with a face that was all swollen and bruised.

Outside the Qingyuan Prefecture 749 headquarters.

Lu Ding handed back the marsh water essence, now purified of the human essence within it, to Chai Yun.

”That should be about it. I need to head back too.”

Before leaving, Lu Ding casually asked one more question, as if making small talk: ”Where are you planning to go next?”

Chai Yun was happy holding the clean marsh water essence, but Lu Ding’s question left him uncertain.

”You’re in the western region. I left the southern region. The competition in the eastern region is too fierce. I guess I can only go to the northern region.”

As he said this, Chai Yun tightened his grip on the jade bottle in his hand. He believed that after his breakthrough, he would surely carve out his own territory in the new city.

”The northern region, huh?”

”That works.”

To be honest, Lu Ding wasn’t very interested in the northern region. The western region was already poor and needed development, and the northern region wasn’t wealthy either—it was just vast and relatively average. If he were to expand northward later, any territory he gained wouldn’t make up for the disadvantages. There’d be no point in taking the good with the bad.

So there was no need.

Chai Yun looked at him: ”So, Grand Duke Lu, is there any place you’d recommend?”

Lu Ding had already started walking, but he paused: ”Recommend...”

”Snow City. Snow City is pretty good. The deputy director there has some history with me. He and his wife have done me a favor before.”

”If you go, and you want to seize authority from the special envoy of Snow City, just drop my name. They’ll cooperate. But don’t push things too far.”

It wasn’t that he had some amazing rapport with Chai Yun.

The impression Chai Yun gave him was that he was a fairly reserved person, but he could also show Lu Ding respect and was worth getting along with.

Since that was the case, Lu Ding didn’t mind giving him a little advice on minor matters.

After all, he just found that Snow City special envoy, Meng Yu, and her assistant investigator annoying.

They acted way too high and mighty.

Well then, they could take whatever issues they had and talk to Chai Yun, who had just broken through using the marsh water essence.

Chai Yun nodded.

”Alright. I’ll go check out Snow City later. Thank you, Grand Duke Lu.”

Lu Ding waved his hand: ”Don’t mention it. I’m off now. See you around if fate allows.”

Chai Yun stood up straight on the spot, watching Lu Ding leave.

Although he had lost a piece of territory this time...

He still felt he hadn’t lost out.

Being able to have a pleasant conversation with someone like Lu Ding, and having him willing to show that respect...

Even if some words might sound exaggerated.

Chai Yun truly felt honored and a sense of closeness toward Lu Ding.

A powerful person who was meticulous in conduct and polite in speech—who could possibly resist that?

He glanced back at the Qingyuan Prefecture 749 building.

Chai Yun pulled out his phone and called his assistant investigator, who was still busy in the jurisdiction.

”Come back. We need to move. We’re heading to the next place.”

On the other end, the person was completely dumbfounded.

How did I just step out for a little while, and now the home base is gone?

Then why the hell am I still bothering with this?

Fight, fight—I don’t give a damn anymore. You can beat each other’s dog brains out for all I care. I’m not serving this place anymore. It’s not my responsibility now anyway.