.......

Upon hearing Lu Ding was going to give it to someone else, Zhan Tingzhou didn't have any other thoughts, nor did he connect it to Bai Hemen.

After all, the current Bai Hemen was still who-knows-where in some godforsaken corner.

"Alright, when you give it to that person, remember to give him a heads-up, and introduce us as well."

"Don't worry, definitely."

The two men departed. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

They flew all the way to the Lady's Temple station.

At this moment.

The spoils from the Lady's Temple 749 were being loaded onto the train in large and small bundles.

Even though the Lady's Temple would also be Lu Ding's territory in the future, White Ridge would always remain his main base; that wouldn't change.

The spoils had to be transported back to White Ridge first, for unified distribution later.

Once the loading was mostly done, and after leaving the standard line of supplies for the Lady's Temple authorities, Lu Ding returned to White Ridge with the heavily laden train.

The moment he got off the train, the scene was a sea of people, with colorful flags fluttering.

All of them were White Ridge 749 investigators.

Lu Ding stepped out of the carriage, a smile on his face, met with nothing but adoring gazes. He raised his hand with a grand gesture.

"Move the goods!!!"

"Yes, Grand Guardian!!!" Thousands of voices merged into one.

The excitement was palpable.

It was like the imperial court distributing relief grain during a famine.

They were finally about to live the good life.

Having received the notice, they had come early to wait for moving the goods. Before Lu Ding even returned, the veteran investigators were already anticipating how many reasonable, legal, and compliant resources they would get this time.

The newcomers were envious, jealous that the old-timers would receive rewards brought back by the Grand Guardian from Hanjing.

They were also eagerly looking forward to seeing the one and only, that legendary figure who once shook the new city and whose fame now spread across the land, the Corpse-Shattering Taishui.

It must be said, after Lu Ding left back then, when Qian Jin took those clips of Lu Ding's combat scenes, his postures, edited them into a recruitment video and released it, the recruitment office of White Ridge 749 nearly had its threshold worn down.

The naturally cool special effects, the hype music added in post-production, the perfect editing, the diverse skill combinations.

Finally, topped off with that shot of Lu Ding in his scholar-warrior sleeves, switching to trousers, a shirt, and red-soled leather shoes.

The final scene.

As Lu Ding's foot came down decisively.

The red background with the golden dragon seal settled, darkness replaced color, and words emerged.

[White Ridge 749, Recruiting]

Simple and direct.

It almost, by a hair's breadth, didn't launch Lu Ding into stardom right then and there.

At this moment.

A scene akin to an ant colony moving house was playing out.

A mighty procession moved boxes containing supplies, heading straight for White Ridge 749.

The audacity of it, done openly and brazenly.

Those who could carry one box absolutely would not carry two.

It wasn't laziness, it was showing off!!

White Ridge had money now!!!

What about the other 749 bureaus in the new city?

You other 749 bureaus in the new city, you haven't used or obtained the good stuff from the Hanjing Director-General's office either.

Go ahead, be jealous. Green with envy.

Back at White Ridge.

Meeting in the grand auditorium.

Originally, the grand auditorium of White Ridge 749 was covered in dust, unused for who knows how many years.

But ever since Lu Ding arrived, this place had become spotless.

Later, it was even renovated by Yu Miaoyin.

To call it low-key, luxurious, and meaningful would be an understatement.

Whoever came in and saw it wouldn't exclaim how high-end, grand, and classy it was!?

Lu Ding stood on the auditorium stage, looking down at the hundreds of Hanjing Qi Refiners who came with him and the thousands of White Ridge investigators below.

Lu Ding sighed with emotion, "Thinking back to when Xinghe and I first arrived, White Ridge was barely hanging on by a thread."

Everyone laughed, though some bolder glances still went towards Qian Jin and Hou Dehai, the bureau chief and deputy bureau chief.

They weren't petty people either.

They could take a joke.

Hou Dehai suddenly dropped a line, "Why look at me? I didn't accept any gifts."

Qian Jin: ........

Alright, alright, Hou Dehai, you're something else, poking my sore spot in front of so many people. I'm not done with you!!!

Qian Jin spoke up, "Even if gifts were accepted, they weren't for me alone."

Everyone was laughing.

This point was okay though; Qian Jin really wasn't one to hog everything.

He just didn't share with Hou Dehai, because the two didn't get along.

But the investigators under Qian Jin did get their share.

Bringing this up was fine, but mentioning it almost made Hou Dehai lose his cool.

You didn't give me a single damn share.

On stage, Lu Ding picked up the thread, pointing at the red-carpeted floor.

"The past is the past. Back then, we were nobodies."

"But now, we can be considered as having entered the hall."

"Within the leadership, I want to especially commend, Qian Jin, Director Qian."

The spotlight swung over, illuminating Qian Jin as he stood up, waving to everyone with a smile.

Lu Ding's voice continued, "And, Hou Dehai, Director Hou."

Hou Dehai then stood up under the spotlight.

"These two, one leads from the front, the other dedicates himself heart and soul. Everyone knows my temper: I absolutely won't cover up mistakes, and I absolutely will reward achievements."

"But their mistakes were before I came, and their achievements are after I came!!!"

As he spoke, Lu Ding casually tossed over two high-end cultivation techniques brought back from Hanjing, along with two portions of top-tier rare natural treasures.

The two men caught the items.

They both cupped their hands in unison, "Thank you, Grand Duke Lu!"

"Thank you, Grand Guardian!!"

Lu Ding pointed at them, "This is just the reward!!!"

That one sentence hooked everyone's curiosity.

Lu Ding grinned, catching everyone off guard, getting straight to the main point without preamble, "Qian Jin!!!!"

He roared.

Qian Jin instantly snapped to attention, "Here!!!!"

Lu Ding tossed over a certificate, "Find your favorite damn big safe, take the proof I issued you, and go collect your two hundred jin of rare natural treasures and one hundred jin of pill supplements!!!!!"

Qian Jin was ecstatic, the crowd cheered.

"Oh!!!!!!!"

"Holy shit!!! Two hundred jin of rare natural treasures, and one hundred jin of pill supplements!!! A hundred jin!!!"

"The Grand Guardian is awesome!!!"

"The Grand Guardian is domineering!!!!"

Lu Ding picked up the microphone, made a 'shh' gesture, and the hall quieted down, leaving only Lu Ding's voice ringing out, "Director Qian, how many contribution points do you have right now?"

Qian Jin was somewhat excited. Although he knew those two hundred jin of rare natural treasures probably weren't the absolute best, they certainly wouldn't be bad.

After all, Lu Ding's reputation was solid!!

He suppressed his excitement, "Still have three thousand."

Lu Ding feigned surprise, "What?"

Qian Jin raised his voice, "Still have three thousand!!!!"

Lu Ding's face showed disdain, "Broke ass."

The crowd couldn't help but burst out laughing.

Lu Ding continued, "Working under me, as a bureau chief, I won't allow you to be this poor. Xinghe, tell him about our White Ridge authority's current situation!"

Fu Xinghe stood up, "White Ridge weight: 4.0. The public account's current accumulated merit, contributions, and balance is: two million, three hundred and twenty-six thousand!!!"

It seemed like a huge amount, but this was the public account, needed to maintain the bureau's basic operations.

Lu Ding picked up the microphone, "Hear that? Over three million. You, this broke ass, only have three thousand. As a bureau chief, you only have three thousand. I wouldn't blame you for three thousand in the past, but now the weight is 4.0, what can your three thousand even do?!"

"Xinghe!!"

Fu Xinghe, "Here!!!"

"Transfer fifty thousand contribution points to Director Qian here, who's never seen contribution points before. Let him take his Fifth Restriction cultivation level and go spend it."

"Yes!!"