Immortals and Demons Forever

Chapter 49: Ascension

Everyone present was arrested. Since the incident had escalated, the Inner Sect members in charge of guarding the mine simply needed to uncover the truth and report it accurately. Song Dachui had been running roughshod over the place for several years, treating the Inner Sect members with utmost deference, but the two sides had little interaction. Su Mu personally explained the full circumstances of the incident. As the saying goes, “Words alone aren’t proof”—and he had ample evidence to back up his account. The riot was quickly brought to an end. Su Mu had effectively earned himself a merit. The Inner Sect members had no cause for concern; they could easily fulfill their reporting obligations to higher-ups. As for who would lead the Supervision Team or who its members would be, they simply didn’t care. Their only concern was whether the quantity of Source Stones they were required to turn in to higher-ups would meet the quota. Su Mu naturally became the new leader of the Supervision Team—and, in a broader sense, the new boss of the Tianfu Mine. Zhong Da, Chen Li, Black Hand, and Guo Yan undoubtedly all became members of the Supervision Team. Song Dachui was thus brought down and killed; even those who truly knew the truth dared not speak up, and there was simply no evidence to present. Su Mu and his crew had pulled off a flawless operation. Once they successfully took power, they took care of those they needed to, and the place instantly took on a whole new look. That same day, Su Mu led his men into Song Dachui’s former residence, which was now his. As soon as he stepped inside, a wave of perfume wafted toward him. A voluptuous woman had been waiting there for quite some time; she was meticulously dressed and greeted him with an attentive, smiling face. “Master Su, you’re here! I’ve just given the place a thorough cleaning. I’ve thrown away all the things Song Dachui used to cherish, so you won’t be put off by them.” “Did you address Song Dachui that way back then, too?” Su Mu remained impassive; this was his first visit to the three-story stone mansion, and he had no idea what it had looked like before. “Yes. What’s the matter? Don’t you like that name?” “I don’t.” Su Mu glanced at the person standing beside him. Zhong Da rubbed his nose. “Mu Ge, let me introduce you. Her name is Xiao Mei. Everyone here knows her by that name. I asked her, and she doesn’t want to leave. Even though you won’t be staying here for long before you head back, it’s nice to have someone around to bring you tea and run errands, so I didn’t make her move out.” Chen Li chuckled, “Mu Ge, if you can’t sleep at night, you can have Xiao Mei give you a massage—she’s actually pretty good at that.” “Alright, then you can stay here,” Su Mu said indifferently. “Thank you, Mu Ge!” Xiao Mei felt both respect and fear toward this new boss. In her eyes, Song Dachui had been an unshakable figure, yet Su Mu had brought him down in just half a month—he’d even lost his life. Not a single core member of the former Supervision Team’s crew had survived; those of lesser importance had been dismissed and sent down into the mine shafts to work alongside everyone else. Anyone they’d bullied in the past would likely be killed now that they no longer had the Supervision Team to back them up. Those who had once fawned over Song Dachui were now all as silent as mice, terrified that Su Mu might deliberately make their lives miserable. Their worries are actually unfounded. For one thing, Su Mu won’t be staying here long; for another, he’s completely different from Song Dachui. It wasn’t that he’d gone looking for trouble in the first place; rather, it was Song Dachui who’d singled him out. It’s an unwritten rule here that when a newcomer arrives, failing to give a gift is considered disrespectful and will result in being targeted. Now that Su Mu has become the boss, he’s abolished many of the excessive rules Song Dachui had established in the past. When Xiao Mei heard Zhong Da say that Su Mu would be leaving soon, she felt a little disappointed. Song Dachui was the burly, imposing type, while Su Mu had a delicate, refined appearance. With so much power and such good looks, being with a man like that would truly be a treat. She was very skilled at using her body to please men—partly out of necessity—but with Su Mu, it was different; she genuinely longed for him from the bottom of her heart. This handsome man was the boss here, and with his brothers present, Xiao Mei didn’t dare reveal her true feelings. She prided herself on her beauty; in a place like this, there wasn’t a man she couldn’t win over. Su Mu walked around to take a look; the others’ accommodations had already been assigned. Zhong Da was staying in Erhu’s small house, Chen Li was staying with Sun Datou, Guo Yan had chosen Cao Shang’s room, and Heishou had also picked out a decent place to stay. The quality of the food and drink had improved immeasurably compared to the past. Working here was grueling, but life wasn’t so bad for the foremen. Everyone was in high spirits. The group sat on chairs in the living room—a place where Song Dachui used to often discuss matters with his brothers. “Go ahead, everyone. What are your plans for the future? If you want to return to the Outer Sect but can’t, just wait until I’m back in the Inner Sect and have earned a few merits for the sect. By then, we can make a request—transferring one person back from here won’t be a big deal.” “Mu Ge, you’re a true friend!” Zhong Da took a sip of wine. “Then I’ll go first. I don’t plan on going back. In the Outer Sect, I don’t have a say in anything. I’d rather live it up here. I know my own limits—I should be content with how far I’ve made it.” Black Hand hurriedly chimed in, “I’m not going back either. I’ve been sticking with Brother Da, and I’ve long since gotten used to life here.” Su Mu nodded. “What about the rest of you?” Chen Li laughed heartily. “I want to hang out here comfortably for a year before leaving. If I go back, I’ll be treated like a little kid again. It took me a long time to climb my way up from being a nobody to a big shot here—I’m going to enjoy myself to the fullest first.” Hearing this, the group burst into laughter. “I’ve got no objections—of course I’m going back to the sect with Mu Ge, even though life here isn’t bad either…” Guo Yan scratched his head. “I still want to give it my all for a few more years. If I still don’t get a chance to join the Inner Sect, I’ll just apply to be transferred back here. You guys better remember to save me a spot on the Supervision Team.” “Don’t worry. As long as I, Zhong Da, am still standing, there’ll always be a spot for you.” “Come on, let’s toast! First, we have to raise a glass to Mu Ge. Without him, we brothers wouldn’t be feasting on fine foods, living in nice houses, and enjoying the good life. No need to say more—it’s all in the wine!” “It’s all in the wine!” Everyone raised their glasses. Su Mu was also very happy that day—a joy that came from the bottom of his heart. These men had been through life-and-death situations with him; they were true friends. Back when he was in the Outer Sect, Qian Dafu was his only friend. If only he were here now—he’d definitely hit it off with this group. Su Mu began to feel a bit nostalgic for his days here, while at the same time looking forward to returning as soon as possible.