Richest Man: Divine-Grade Reconstruct System Chapter 1006 - 966: Audacious!

However, failing to eliminate these individuals would mean the contents of this document becoming public by tomorrow, inflicting a catastrophic blow to my reputation and career.

In an instant, I would lose the populace’s backing and their apprehension towards me.

This situation could quite literally devolve into a scenario where the imperial court directly exerts control over local governance.

By then, all my authority would evaporate, leaving me a mere instrument to carry out the court’s directives day in and day out.

Under such circumstances, a favorable outcome would scarcely await me.

If matters truly reach that point, occupying an official post would hold no significance for me whatsoever.

And should I lose my position and the insignia of my office, adversaries would materialize from every direction, eager to seek retribution.

After all, throughout my tenure in power, I have engaged in quite a number of unscrupulous acts.

The roster of individuals I have wronged is immeasurable, and the moment I falter, they would exhibit absolutely no leniency towards me.

At that juncture, I fear nothing but death would lie in wait.

Contemplating this, a ferocious glint began to flicker ceaselessly in the periphery of his vision.

Since this is how things stand, I might as well seize any opportunity to live one more day, to revel for another day, and to eliminate all these troublesome individuals.

It appears King You’s faction would not receive word of this promptly; after all, this is my domain. Once I seal off the flow of information, it cannot possibly disseminate.

Moreover, by then, I can completely shift the blame, asserting that I never encountered these people. Who knows, maybe they fell prey to brigands or were carried off by wild beasts along their journey?

In essence, these individuals arrived in the dead of night. At this hour, no one could have possibly witnessed their arrival, save for a handful of Garrison soldiers.

This presents Lord Liu with an even more advantageous opportunity to act.

Thus, he cast a glance at the Steward standing by his side and subtly gestured.

Instantly, the Steward grasped the unspoken command, nodded in acknowledgment to Lord Liu, and promptly departed.

Moments later, the Steward returned, and crucially, he was accompanied by more than a dozen men.

To be precise, it was over ten soldiers clad in armor.

Although they were members of the military, one must not forget that Lord Liu has maintained his influence here for many years, transforming this region into his personal stronghold.

Consequently, the Garrison stationed here could be considered akin to his personal retainers.

Especially these few individuals now before him, who were his most trusted confidants.

These men were exceptionally discreet; after all, he held leverage over their deepest vulnerabilities. Should they dare to defy him, not only would they face dire consequences, but their entire families would equally meet a grim end.

Most critically, he currently held their family members captive.

Therefore, Lord Liu placed immense trust in these individuals, never harboring concerns about them acting contrary to his desires.

Upon their entry, there was not the slightest sign of hesitation or superfluous discussion. Instead, they directly lifted the subdued individuals from the ground in pairs and carried them away.

Swiftly, Lord Liu discerned muffled grunts emanating from outside.

Shortly thereafter, an absolute silence descended.

Approximately half an hour elapsed before the Steward hurried back into the room.

Upon seeing him, Lord Liu elevated his gaze to meet his subordinate’s. Though no words were spoken, his intent was abundantly clear, and the Steward swiftly nodded, addressing Lord Liu:

"Rest assured, my lord. All matters have been meticulously handled, leaving absolutely no trace behind."

Lord Liu visibly displayed his satisfaction, reaffirming his confidence in this subordinate’s capacity to manage the situation.

"Excellent. You may depart now. Tomorrow, present yourself to collect fifty taels of silver. Furthermore, bestow ten taels of silver upon each of the brothers privy to today’s affair."

The Steward, upon hearing of the impending reward, showed palpable excitement, clasped his hands in respect towards Lord Liu, and then made his exit.

Following the Steward’s departure, Lord Liu advanced, drawing nearer to the crackling oil lamp situated at the hall's center.

With a flick of his wrist, he produced the somewhat yellowed document and held it directly over the flame. Instantly, the paper ignited vividly.

Witnessing this, a smug grin inevitably spread across Lord Liu’s face, and he cast the blazing paper onto the floor.

As he watched the paper disintegrate into ashes, Lord Liu finally felt a sense of contentment. He rose, exited the chamber, and retreated to his private quarters to resume his rest.

Regarding the night’s grim proceedings, he gave them no further consideration, acting as though nothing untoward had transpired.

Indeed, similar clandestine operations were unfolding across various locales within Dayou. The timing varied based on distance, as soldiers tasked with transporting goods to distant cities were still encamped in the wilderness.

Concerning these covert actions, Lin Yi had perhaps underestimated their scope.

While he had anticipated potential resistance and sabotage, prompting him to deploy soldiers in squads of ten, Lin Yi could never have fathomed the depths of societal depravity.

For personal gain, not merely ten soldiers, but even a hundred would be ruthlessly eliminated.

Naturally, fire cannot be perpetually concealed by paper. Although certain locations managed to obscure these events effectively, reports received two days later still caused Lin Yi to furrow his brow in concern.