Gavin Ji's expression changed slightly. He said, "I'm Mayor Liang's secretary, and this is Minister Landon Lu of the City Special Police. There's no need for a body search, right?"
"No matter who you are, everyone gets searched!" the bodyguard said stiffly.
Hearing this, Ian Song couldn't help but sneer. "Chief Han really likes to throw his weight around. If meeting him means getting frisked, then forget about it."
As soon as he finished speaking, Ian turned and walked away.
Seeing this, the two bodyguards' expressions changed sharply. They barked, "Stop right there!"
"So we're not doing the body search anymore?" Ian turned back to look at them.
"Of course not!" one bodyguard sneered. "I think you're just acting guilty. I suspect you're plotting something against Chief Han!"
"What's your position?" Ian suddenly asked.
"We're Chief Han's private bodyguards!"
"And do you know my position?" Ian asked again.
"Just a minor Special Police minister!" one bodyguard said disdainfully.
Ian smiled. "That's right, I'm just a minor Special Police minister. But I hold a lieutenant colonel rank, and you guys? You don't even have ranks or official positions. Yet you want to frisk a lieutenant colonel and randomly accuse one? Who gave you that right? Or maybe you've been bribed by rebels and are trying to frame me on purpose?"
The four bodyguards' expressions changed dramatically. One, trying to sound tough but clearly nervous, shouted, "That's nonsense! We're Chief Han's private bodyguards—how could we be bought off by rebels?"
"So you know you're private bodyguards?" Ian sneered. "I'm a public official. Right now, all four of you need to get out of my way. If you don't, I'll suspect you're imprisoning Chief Han. And in the interest of protecting a senior leader, I have the right to execute you on the spot!"
As he spoke, a laser pistol appeared in Ian's hand, the muzzle pointed straight at the four of them.
The four bodyguards looked even worse, but they didn't believe Ian would actually shoot. One of them said, "Go ahead, shoot if you dare."
"Zap!"
Before the words were even cold, Ian pulled the trigger. A flash of red laser streaked out, followed by a scream—the bodyguard who'd taunted him now had a thumb-sized, charred hole in his left arm.
Gavin Ji was stunned, and so were the other three bodyguards. None of them had ever imagined Ian would actually open fire.
As for the bodyguard who'd been shot, he glared at Ian with venom. "You really dared to shoot!"
"Move aside!"
Ian raised his gun and pointed it at him. "Keep running your mouth and next time it won't be your hand I shoot—I'll blow your dog head off!"
"...You...!"
Ian said nothing more. He slowly raised the gun, held up three fingers, and after one second, lowered one finger.
Seeing this, the bodyguard realized Ian was only giving him three seconds.
He didn't dare hold out any longer and quickly stepped aside, leaving the door open for Ian.
Ian holstered his laser pistol and headed for the door. As he passed the bodyguard, he chuckled, "You really are spineless. Only listen after getting a lesson."
With that, Ian pushed the door open and walked in, while the bodyguard's face grew even uglier.
Gavin Ji, snapping out of his daze, hurried after Ian into the room.
Inside the room were four people: Mayor Victor Liang, Jason Han, and two of Jason's personal bodyguards. Compared to the four outside, these two had much stronger auras.
"Chief Han, Mayor Liang, hello. Landon Lu reporting in." Ian saluted the two of them.
At that moment, Victor Liang and Jason Han were playing chess. Hearing Ian, Victor Liang looked up, smiled, and nodded. "Landon, have a seat."
Jason Han, however, didn't even look up. His eyes stayed locked on the chessboard—whether from deep focus or because he didn't care about Ian at all.
Ian smiled faintly, not bothering to guess at Jason Han's thoughts, and sat down on a nearby sofa.
Gavin Ji felt a bit nervous. Seeing Ian sit so casually, he couldn't help but think, "This guy really has nerves of steel."
After a while, Jason Han and Victor Liang were still playing chess. Ian simply grabbed two apples from the fruit plate, tossed one to Gavin Ji, and started crunching on the other himself.
Victor Liang glanced over, stunned at first, then couldn't help but feel amused.
By the time Ian had nearly finished all the fruit on the table, Jason Han and Victor Liang finally wrapped up their game.
"Mayor Liang, I'd like to speak with Minister Lu alone," Jason Han said, glancing at Victor Liang and effectively issuing a dismissal.
"Alright, Chief Han, I'll leave you to it."
Victor Liang stood up and left, taking Gavin Ji with him.
Soon, only Ian, Jason Han, and Jason's two bodyguards were left in the room.
Suddenly, Jason Han glanced at Ian, his face darkening. "You're Landon Lu?"
"That's right. I am." Ian replied calmly.
"Is this how you talk to your superiors?" Jason Han's frown deepened.
Ian looked at him playfully. "How do you want me to talk? Should I stand up, hunch over, and smile like a bootlicker?"
Bang!
Jason Han slammed his palm on the table. "What kind of attitude is that?"
Bang!
Ian slammed his palm on the table right back and snapped, "What kind of attitude are you showing?"
"Rebellion! Take him down!"
Jason Han froze, not expecting Ian to slap the table at him. Then his anger erupted.
Whoosh!
One bodyguard blurred into motion, lunging straight at Ian.
"Roll back!" Ian snapped coldly.
Instantly, the bodyguard froze, then collapsed to the ground and literally rolled back to where he'd been standing before.
"Damn it, you hypnotized my bodyguard!" Jason Han was even angrier.
"Who are you calling 'damn it'?" Ian shot back. "Screw you! You're my superior, not my master. You tried to frisk me, left me hanging for ages, and act like you're some big shot!"
"You dare insult me?" Jason Han pointed at Ian in disbelief.
"So what if I insult you? Go ahead, strip me of my position if you dare!" Ian sneered. "You really think I care about this minister title? With my psychic cultivation, if I put the word out, the military would fight over me! Believe it or not, if I joined the 96th Division, their commander would welcome me with open arms!"
"...You...!"
Jason Han was speechless now, because everything Ian said was true. Hypnotizing a hundred Black Dragon-mech War Generals in an instant—any military unit would fight to have him.
Realizing this, Jason suddenly felt he really couldn't do anything to this guy.
Demote him? What a joke. If he tried, Ian would just resign.
Transfer him to some idle department? Ian could just quit anytime he wanted.
"Am I really just going to let him insult me for free?"
Jason Han felt extremely unwilling.
"What, still scheming how to deal with me?" Ian sneered at Jason Han, whose face kept changing.
Hearing this, Jason's anger flared up again, but he quickly suppressed it and forced a smile. "Landon, I was just joking with you earlier. Hope you don't take it to heart!"