"Is that all the news from the Qing Kingdom?" A pile of letters lay on the table before Li Daoqiang. After finishing the last one, he spoke indifferently. "Chief, that's everything, all of it." Wang Lin, standing respectfully ahead, promptly replied. "Several months have passed, yet progress remains minimal." Li Daoqiang let out a faint sigh, as if speaking casually. But Wang Lin's body trembled. He knew the chief was dissatisfied. He was dissatisfied too, but he understood even more that there was nothing to be done about it. The Qing Kingdom was separated from Black Dragon Stronghold by the Great Ming Kingdom. The distance was too great. Baoxiang and the others were never strong to begin with. In just a few months, what could they accomplish? There was little they could do. They couldn't even establish outposts in the major cities of the Qing Kingdom. Even the communication between them had only been set up recently, though it was now several times faster than before. Building an intelligence network was no simple task. Black Dragon Stronghold lacked the foundation for it, relying entirely on money to pave the way. But no matter how much money was spent, it still required time. Yet he dared not complain or make excuses. Gritting his teeth, he bowed and said, "Your subordinate is incompetent. Please punish me, Chief." Li Daoqiang glanced at Wang Lin and said coldly, "You should know I don't like hearing such useless talk." Wang Lin trembled again and quickly replied, "Chief, it's not that I'm making excuses, but—but I truly feel increasingly out of my depth. I am incompetent and have disappointed you." Li Daoqiang raised an eyebrow slightly and said flatly, "Do you know what you're saying?" "I understand, Chief, but I dare not hinder your great plans any further. Please select someone else to oversee the intelligence department. I only wish to stay by your side as a mere foot soldier." Wang Lin's voice couldn't hide his fear and reverence. Yet his resolve was clear. Even though he knew that stepping down from managing the intelligence department would likely lead to a grim fate. For one, it might give the chief the impression that he was shirking responsibility for failing the task. For another, he knew too much and was one of the key figures in establishing Black Dragon Stronghold's intelligence network. If he no longer held the reins, how could he simply walk away? Dealing with him would be the simplest and most correct course of action. But he had no choice. His abilities truly weren't up to the task. He could barely manage the current intelligence network, let alone expand it further. He had already failed to satisfy the chief several times in a row. If this continued, death was certain. It was better to step down now, and perhaps the chief would spare his life. Li Daoqiang stared silently at Wang Lin, one of his two longest-serving subordinates. Absolute trust? Naturally, there was none. Throughout Black Dragon Stronghold, and even the entire world, there wasn't a single person he trusted completely. Only relative trust existed. That was why Li Daoqiang had originally placed the intelligence department under Wang Lin's charge. Even now, when Black Dragon Stronghold was far from what it once was, he hadn't changed it. Though he had occasionally considered a replacement, no truly suitable candidate had emerged, so he had made do. Now, it seemed he could no longer make do. Even Wang Lin himself felt he couldn't continue. If this went on, it would only lead to chaos. The most critical development of Black Dragon Stronghold's intelligence would stagnate. But who in Black Dragon Stronghold was fit to take over the intelligence system now? A trace of a sigh flickered in his brow. Still lacking in talent. "Who in the entire stronghold do you think is most suitable to lead the intelligence department?" After a moment of deliberation, as Wang Lin stood trembling, Li Daoqiang asked calmly. Hearing the question, Wang Lin felt a bit relieved and quickly said, "Chief, I don't know either." Li Daoqiang pondered again and said flatly, "Enough. Since you're unwilling to continue, then hold on for a while longer until a suitable person is found to take over. During this time, be diligent and make no mistakes." "Yes." Wang Lin let out a heavy sigh of relief. Though he wasn't yet certain he would survive, at least there was hope. Waving Wang Lin away, Li Daoqiang frowned at the letters on the table before him. He was well aware of the difficulties in building an intelligence network. Black Dragon Stronghold had developed too quickly. It lacked foundation, starting from scratch. So he wasn't truly angry that Baoxiang and the others in the Qing Kingdom had achieved little. He had only been applying some pressure deliberately. If he had been truly angry... His thoughts shifted as he seriously considered who in Black Dragon Stronghold could take over the intelligence system. First, they needed ability. Second, they needed a degree of his trust. After a long pause, he reluctantly gave up. The most capable candidate was probably Duan Yanqing. After all, he had once been a crown prince and had weathered years of trials. His abilities were certainly not lacking. His strength was sufficient, and his temperament was suitable. But letting someone who constantly thought of killing him take charge of Black Dragon Stronghold's intelligence system—he wasn't that reckless. Confidence was one thing, but stupidity was another. Aside from Duan Yanqing, no one in Black Dragon Stronghold was truly suitable. Either they lacked ability. Or those with some ability had the wrong temperament. For instance, Lü Tengkong had decent skills, but he wasn't ruthless enough, completely unfit for the shadowy work of intelligence. He glanced at the letters again and abandoned the last shred of his earlier plan to go to the Qing Kingdom first before executing that scheme. Nothing was ready in the Qing Kingdom; going there would only waste time. After a long deliberation, Li Daoqiang picked up a letter he had already prepared. Three days later. Li Daoqiang announced he would go into seclusion, gave some instructions to Ding Dian, and then set off with Duan Yanqing for the Shaolin Temple in the Song Kingdom. With two grandmaster-level experts moving, their speed was naturally swift and their movements sufficiently covert. A few days later, dozens of miles from the Shaolin Temple in the Song Kingdom. Li Daoqiang and Duan Yanqing stood on a hillside, gazing at the majestic cluster of palaces in the distance. The sounds of a bustling crowd reached them. In Li Daoqiang's keen perception, an intangible, immense aura surged skyward. Without a doubt, it came from the Shaolin Temple, home to countless martial artists, accumulated over the years. Countless experts, whether intentionally or not, had converged under the spiritual core of the Shaolin Temple, forming this vast presence. It was like a blazing sun, illuminating all directions. It didn't quite resemble the peaceful aura one would expect from a Buddhist holy land. But that was normal. No matter how sacred a place, it couldn't do without strength. Yet one thing troubled him. This aura from the Shaolin Temple had, for the first time, severely hampered his usually infallible perception. He couldn't sense how many experts were inside the temple. Everyone was shrouded within that aura. A flicker of contemplation passed through his eyes. Truly not simple. No wonder he had approached this with such caution. "Give this letter to the Shaolin Temple's abbot, Xuanci. Make sure you hand it to him personally." Li Daoqiang handed the letter to Duan Yanqing. (Chapter 1. Busy today, so a bit shorter. Thanks for your support.) ......