Chapter 108: Pang Family’s Destruction—overt And Covert Struggles
“Disciplinary Department, Seventh, Twelfth, Thirteenth, Sixteenth, Seventeenth Squadrons, a total of five hundred and thirty-two people, all assembled.”
Zhao Gang reported in a deep voice.
Xia Hanshi looked up at the window, the artificial moon bright and clear, and said indifferently: “Teng Liang, distribute the mission targets.”
Teng Liang walked to a terminal resembling a computer nearby, operated it for a while, and then all the mid-to-high-level personnel present raised their combat terminals embedded in the armor of their left hands, with photos quickly scrolling by.
Their expressions gradually changed, some even widening their eyes and exchanging glances with colleagues beside them.
Xia Hanshi’s tone remained indifferent: “After breaking in, mark those for capture and leave them alive for interrogation; mark those for killing and leave no survivors.”
Su Chen didn’t see what specific photos they were.
But he clearly noticed that several Senior Judges from the Disciplinary Department nearby all showed hesitant expressions.
Zhao Gang’s throat bobbed up and down; during missions within the city, to avoid news leaks, they usually only learned the mission targets right before the operation began.
But today’s mission targets still shocked him greatly.
This was the Pang Family, closely tied to the Court of Justice; the current family head, though Deputy Minister of the Inspection Department, was seen by many as a chess piece planted by the Court of Justice.
He had deep private ties with many in the Court of Justice.
“Old Xia… this…” He probed tentatively, but before he could finish, he felt a cold glint sweep over him. “Do you have any objections?”
“No, none.” Zhao Gang shuddered and hurriedly shook his head.
Xia Hanshi turned around, scanning everyone: “I know, some of you may have met people in the photos, even friends, or even close relationships.”
“I’ll give you an opportunity: if you can’t bring yourselves to do it, you can leave now.”
Zhao Gang’s pupils contracted, and before his subordinate could do something foolish, he spoke up: “Since they are mission targets, they are enemies of the Court of Justice, enemies of Ying Feng. We are Judges now—there are no personal ties!”
Hearing their top superior say this, the few who had been hesitant straightened their expressions, breaking out in cold sweat.
Old Xia is truly cunning… always fishing.
As an outsider, Su Chen could clearly see everyone’s changing expressions.
“Good.” Xia Hanshi nodded in satisfaction and then issued the combat orders: “Zhao Gang leads the Seventh and Twelfth Squadrons for a frontal assault, Thirteenth and Sixteenth Squadrons provide flank cover…”
“Seventeenth Squadron enters the sewers to cut off their retreat…”
“Each squadron dispatches fifteen people to form evacuation teams; at the moment of action, block off the surrounding eight hundred meters…”
Xia Hanshi arranged everything skillfully, and finally added: “Additionally, it’s uncertain if there are other escape secret passages inside; after controlling the scene, immediately count the numbers and check for secret passages.”
It was now nearly nine o’clock at night; ordinary staff in the building had mostly left, with many floors already darkened.
There were fewer pedestrians on nearby streets, but the top floor area remained brightly lit.
The suspension lanes shuttling along both sides of the high-rises still had steady traffic flow.
Time ticked by; only logistics personnel remained here, while everyone else went down to prepare.
“Action!”
As the number on the screen jumped to ten o’clock, Xia Hanshi’s gaze turned cold, spitting out two words.
“Suspension lanes have been temporarily rerouted…” a logistics personnel reported.
“Surveillance taken over, elevator permissions cracked…”
“Hypnosis team in action, interfering with security…”
In an instant, the suspension lanes on both sides of the building suddenly turned red, veering off from about seven to eight hundred meters away from the Pang Family Building into another suspension lane.
Below, three teams of Inspector Guards moved like blades in the night, rapidly approaching the Pang Family Building, their armor gleaming with cold ghostly light under the moonlight.
The security guards hadn’t noticed anything wrong before collapsing limply.
Nearby sewer covers were pried open, and Inspector Guards filed in.
The outer Judges had set up isolation lines, blocking all entering pedestrians and helping those inside who hadn’t evacuated to leave.
Silently, over two hundred Inspector Guards entered the building without a sound.
“Report!”
Suddenly, a logistics personnel said urgently: “Elevators above the fortieth floor are a separate system, not connected to Ying Feng’s central system; they operate independently and cannot be controlled!”
Xia Hanshi’s expression was cold: “Force entry.”
As soon as he spoke, the thirty-ninth floor of the Pang Family Building exploded in a blue-purple light burst, the glass windows shattering into powder.
“Orders are as heavy as mountains…” Su Chen held an optical telescope and wore earphones, hearing various commands on the combat channel.
He couldn’t help but marvel: this is what a Chief Judge is like.
This signaled the assault shifting from covert to overt; Zhao Gang, at the forefront, moved even faster, charging upward from the thirty-ninth floor like a cannonball, his trajectory marked by layers of exploding glass curtain walls.
Elemental glows erupted from various floors intermittently; close combat had begun, utterly devastating.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Muffled booms came faintly from above; Su Chen could see streaks of light shooting from higher up into the Pang Family Building.
“Snipers too… and not ordinary kinetic weapons.”
Thermal weapons were widely used in Ying Feng, and there were even professions specialized for them with considerable power.
………
Pang Family Building top floor—this was the Pang Family’s private area.
In the lavish banquet hall, only one table of people sat; the table was large, seating nearly twenty.
At the head sat Pang Hui, his expression calm, with an empty seat to his left.
The others were all older, with only a few young faces, expressions varied but all faintly showing dissatisfaction.
At the foot of the table, Pang Xingwen glanced at the time, feeling inwardly anxious and fidgety.
“It’s almost ten o’clock—why hasn’t that guy arrived yet!”
“Xingwen, what’s going on? Why hasn’t the person come?” The middle-aged man sitting to Pang Hui’s right spoke, his words laced with barbs: “Did something unexpected happen and he can’t come? Did he notify you?”
“Didn’t you explain it clearly to him? Time and place correct, right?”
Pang Xingwen felt annoyed inside but smiled awkwardly: “Second Uncle… he was probably delayed on the road.”
“Even so, it couldn’t take this long—maybe he’s just brushing you off and never planned to come.” A young man beside him added.
Pang Xingwen’s face fell immediately, but before he could speak, his second uncle smoothed things over: “What are you saying? Xingwen is now following Chu Xuan, the Court of Justice’s core seed. That Su Chen has to give some face no matter what.”
“I…” Pang Xingwen’s face flushed red; their words had put him on the spot, and his gaze involuntarily turned to his father at the head.
But his father was expressionless, as if he hadn’t heard a thing.
“I’m going to the bathroom.” Pang Xingwen resorted to slipping away, hurriedly leaving the banquet hall for the restroom. He had just opened his bracelet when he realized he didn’t even have Su Chen’s contact information.
Bang!
He smashed a fist on the sink, gritting his teeth: “Su Chen!”
No one in his family had good intentions—they all wanted him to embarrass himself, and he was used to it.
What angered him most was Su Chen.
“I’ve already groveled, and it’s my father’s invitation—yet you won’t even give that much face.” Pang Xingwen stared at his distorted reflection in the mirror.
Though Su Chen had said “Got it” at the time, which seemed vague, Pang Xingwen saw it merely as an excuse for not agreeing directly—a matter of “saving face.”
“Think being a core seed means you’re secure?” Pang Xingwen growled lowly: “There’s only one Chief Judge. Even if… even if…”
As he spoke, even he lost confidence; there was indeed only one Chief Judge.
But with Su Chen’s talent, even if he fell short in the competition, he would likely become someone like Xia Hanshi, whom only a Chief Judge could suppress.
“Hmph, the future is long. Xia Hanshi might take him out anytime…” In the end, Pang Xingwen could only console himself, washing his face to sober up a bit. He took a deep breath, preparing to return to his seat for more mockery.
But suddenly, he felt the floor shake faintly, with a muffled rumble coming from below.
“This…” Pang Xingwen was stunned, then felt the shaking intensify around him, the rumbling growing louder, as if the building was about to collapse.
“What’s happening?”
Bewildered and helpless, he instinctively rushed out of the restroom, only to find chaos outside.
His second uncle, who had just been mocking him, now had an ashen face, eyes filled with panic, shouting repeatedly as he charged downstairs: “Who—who dares to attack my Pang Family!”
Attack?
Pang Xingwen’s eyes widened; before he could think, his body flew uncontrollably, dragged into a certain room.
“Fa—Father!” He cried out upon seeing the familiar face before him.
But on that face, beyond the usual coldness, there was an indescribable anger and regret.
“Don’t ask, don’t worry—they’ll get you out!” Pang Hui barked, pushing him with one hand into the arms of two people.
Looking up instinctively, one had black patterns covering his face, the other had no facial features; each carried a metal box.
“Why would the Court of Justice suddenly act?” The Heituo Follower was furious and shocked; he had been waiting in secret for Su Chen to arrive.
Pang Hui’s eyes showed unwillingness: “I’m afraid I’ve been locked on and can’t escape. Your ranks aren’t high, your life signatures aren’t that strong—you still have an opportunity.”
“Avenge me!” Pang Hui gave Pang Xingwen a deep look.
Terrified and frozen, Pang Xingwen was dragged away uncontrollably to the deepest part of the building, where there was a secret passage in a wall crevice, bottomless.
……
“Who dares to attack my Pang Family! Courting death!”
“Ah, Disciplinary Department Judges—how could it be Judges!”
“No, don’t… there must be some misunderstanding! We’re family, family!”
“I’m on good terms with the first Squadron Leader of your Disciplinary Department—we were together yesterday… ah!”
From the fortieth floor upward, every Pang Family member went through anger, shock, disbelief, and desperate pleas.
But the acting Judges showed no mercy, killing those marked for death and capturing those marked for capture.
Squadron Leaders and the Deputy Director headed straight for the top floor, leaving the rest for the lower-rank Inspector Guards to clean up.
“The Court of Justice won’t let us live—don’t blame us for fighting to survive!”
After realizing pleas didn’t work, Pang Family’s second uncle changed his expression instantly, drawing a blade hidden behind his waist, wreathed in blazing flame that vaporized the surrounding air the moment it was unsheathed.
As he spun and slashed, the air around the blade compressed into transparent ripples, crimson flames turning into waves that swept the surroundings and burst out of the floor.
The entire building seemed sliced in half, blazing flames erupting outward.
“Fourth Order Professional!”
Yang Yan, closest, paled in shock; before he could react, he was flung backward.
“The Court of Justice murders, and you won’t surrender—still resisting?”
Zhao Gang had trembled before Xia Hanshi, but now his face was ferocious as he charged into the flames; in moments, the crimson blaze vanished.
Pang Family’s second uncle’s head was gone, his mangled body twitching nonstop.
“Zhang Hongbo is here too—probably cannon fodder fate.” Su Chen looked at the corpse in the feed and remarked.
“I want to kill so bad, I want to kill so bad!”
Bu Siqi’s eyes were bloodshot, veins bulging; Su Chen had thought this senior brother was normal, but now he muttered to himself.
“Pang Hui still hasn’t appeared, nor Pang Xingwen…” Su Chen scanned up and down, had to admire Old Xia’s impeccable timing.
Because of the banquet for him, the Pang Family’s high-level members seemed all gathered here to show importance.
“Pang Kuan, the Pang Family’s number two…” Teng Liang glanced at the corpse, looking around: “Where’s Pang Hui? Escaped?”
“Old Xia has him watched—he can’t run.” Zhao Gang shook his head; before he finished, his gaze sharpened toward a direction.
From the shadows, a slender figure emerged.
“What crime has my Pang Family committed for the Court of Justice to exterminate us!” Pang Hui stared at the corpse on the ground, his eye’s fury manifesting physically, cheeks twitching.
Zhao Gang opened his mouth, genuinely unaware of the Pang Family’s situation.
“Colluding with the Cult of the Strange God, intent on mischief—just this charge warrants killing you ten times over.” Teng Liang’s voice was indifferent, making Zhao Gang’s heart jolt, his face darkening further.
It’s out… Pang Hui took a deep breath, confirming it was for this, and didn’t refute; with the Court of Justice acting, refuting was pointless.
His thoughts drifted: the Pang Family had produced a Chief Judge three hundred years ago, glorious at the time.
But Chief Judge positions kept changing, while Ying Feng’s pie hadn’t grown much; new Chief Judges always brought new sharers.
The Pang Family had declined, barely able to survive in Ying Feng.
Until twenty years ago, he met someone who claimed he could restore the Pang Family’s glory.
He knew who it was, but the Pang Family would either fade silently or gamble—he chose the latter.
“You want to wipe out my Pang Family? Today, even the Court of Justice will break a tooth on me!”
Pang Hui gathered his thoughts, pupils contracting to pinpricks; his spine tensed like a bow, two lumps bulging on his back, instantly transforming into a pair of wings burning with black flame.
He floated upward, hair whipping wildly in the heatwave, each strand dotted with burning black sparks absorbing surrounding light.
“Deputy Minister of the three departments—at least Fourth Order Professional to hold, though there are Fifth Order Deputy Ministers, but the Pang Family ancestor’s Chief Judge legacy made it underutilized. The Court of Justice tried multiple times to bring him back as Director, but he refused…”
Beside him, Bu Siqi stared with bloodshot eyes: “Now it seems, probably to make Strange God Cult activities in the city easier.”
“Black Raven Flame Spirit, Fifth Order Middle Tier… wings manifested, developed to the latter half. Remember he became a Fifth Order Professional just six or seven years ago—impressively fast.”
Bu Siqi muttered on, seemingly suppressing some impulse in his body this way.
“…Actually Fifth Order…” Su Chen was stunned, faintly feeling a heat.
He glanced at Xia Hanshi beside him; the old man neither spoke nor acted, just watched.
Boom!
Zhao Gang was flung back first by the shockwave, his armor melting; he grimaced, crawling out. As Disciplinary Department Deputy Director, he was Fourth Order Professional level.
Instead, the taciturn senior brother Teng Liang impressed Su Chen greatly.
“That… is a bit too big.” He stared at the giant in view, five or six meters tall, even breaking through the floor.
Its body cast a huge shadow, muscles knotted like ancient tree roots, every bulging tendon gleaming metallic cold under moonlight.
It even withstood the black flames, though still at a disadvantage, barely holding its own.
“Ancient Spirit Giant…” Bu Siqi commentated, “Fifth Order Top Tier Profession…”
“Fifth Order Top Tier?” Su Chen looked stunned.
“Forced Job Appointment; senior brother went all-in at the time, luckily succeeded.” Bu Siqi’s voice trembled; as he spoke, two fangs protruded from his lips.
“Not low intensity…” Su Chen watched the battle: black flames like cascading waterfalls, clashes booming like thunder; the isolation zone expanded, the Pang Family Building nearly collapsing.
In the distance, crowds gathered; though blocked outside the battlefield, they pointed and whispered, thrilled amid fear.
Inspector Guards had arrived for stricter evacuation, notifying higher-ups.
Though Teng Liang was Fifth Order Top Tier, it was Forced Job Appointment, undeveloped, so he could only stalemate Pang Hui for now.
Why hasn’t Old Xia acted? What is he waiting for?
Su Chen glanced at the old man beside him; in a blur, the man vanished.
And in the field, a sharp shout erupted: “Stop!”
A terrifying life pressure descended; even from afar, Su Chen felt it clearly.
A figure descended from the sky, expression gloomy, surrounded by rippling water-like patterns; whether Judges, Inspector Guards, or Pang Hui, all were suppressed immobile.
Wei Yinshuo’s brow twitched; he had sensed the building below was nearly devoid of life.
“Teacher!” Pang Hui knelt immediately, retracting his wings, crying out: “Please stand up for your student!”
Wei Yinshuo looked down coldly at the crowd: “What exactly is going on? Who is the person in charge! Zhao Gang!”
Zhao Gang shuddered, about to speak, when he heard that familiar raspy voice: “Old Four, so it really is you behind this.”
“Xia Hanshi!?”
Wei Yinshuo’s expression changed, realizing something, glaring viciously at the kneeling Pang Hui, who kept his head down silently.
“Heartbreaking, truly heartbreaking!” Xia Hanshi also hovered mid-air, sighing: “We are both Chief Judges—never thought we’d reach the point of blades clashing!”
“Wait!” Wei Yinshuo hurriedly stopped him: “What do you mean? Pang Hui is Deputy Minister of Inspection Department; the Pang Family has contributed much to Ying Feng. Even if action was needed…”
Before he finished, it was like a duck with its throat gripped.
Xia Hanshi shook his withered hand; a leather scroll stamped with five red seals appeared before him, revealing a sinister smile.
“Elder Council order: Pang Family colludes with Cult of the Strange God—by law, to be executed!”
Colluding with Cult of the Strange God!
Wei Yinshuo’s pupils contracted, fury surging: he coldly glanced at the kneeling Pang Hui: “Pang Hui, you’re dead!”
With an Elder Council order, the evidence was near certain.
“Acting…” Xia Hanshi put away the Elder Council order.
“You collude with Cult of the Strange God—no one can save you!” Wei Yinshuo berated.
“Keep acting…” Xia Hanshi shook his head: “You dare say you knew nothing? He’s your favorite student.”
“I…” Wei Yinshuo felt a mouthful of old blood stuck in his chest, but inwardly panic rose—unsure if Xia Hanshi was framing him or if the Elder Council truly thought so.
“Teacher, you can’t abandon me!” Pang Hui suddenly looked up from the ground, wailing.
“Wretch!” Wei Yinshuo trembled with rage, about to act, when a sonic boom echoed from the horizon—the newcomer incredibly fast, trailing a sonic boom cloud.
“Wei Yinshuo, Xia Hanshi!”
The arrival halted, whipping up fierce winds; a man with a ring of black beard, eyes bulging in fury: “What are you doing!”
“No notice to my Inspection Department, daring to act in the city without… hm? Pang Hui!?”
Upon spotting the kneeling figure, he froze too.
