Chapter 4593
“Didn’t you hear what Mr. Chen said? Stay away!” Bai Cheng snapped coldly at the younger brother.
Left speechless, the younger brother could only grumble inwardly as he wandered off to find another spot.
Meanwhile, Kai stood beneath the towering ancient tree, gazing up in awe.
The tree’s sheer size dwarfed him, making him feel insignificant in its presence. Gently placing his hand on its trunk, Kai refrained from probing further.
He wasn’t certain if the ancient tree was protected by a formation. If he recklessly used his spiritual sense to investigate and alerted the City Lord’s Mansion, it could spell trouble.
Kai suspected that few people were aware of the tree’s true secret. If he uncovered it, those in power would never allow him to leave the prison alive.
After carefully examining the tree, Kai gestured for Bai Cheng to approach.
Seeing the signal, Bai Cheng hurried over.
“Why were you arrested?” Kai asked directly.
“I… I wasn’t arrested,” Bai Cheng replied hesitantly.
“You weren’t arrested?” Kai raised an eyebrow. “Then why are you here?”
“I was sent here to guard this ancient tree and prevent anyone from approaching it without permission,” Bai Cheng explained truthfully.
“But there are prison guards, aren’t there? Why can’t they guard the tree? Why send you?” Kai asked, puzzled.
Hearing the question, Bai Cheng glanced around cautiously before lowering his voice.
“Mr. Chen, you might not know this, but the prison guards are under General Yan’s jurisdiction. However, this ancient tree is of utmost importance to the City Lord’s Mansion. To ensure its security, General Xing specifically sent me and my men here.
This way, we monitor the prison guards, and they monitor us. It creates a system of checks and balances to prevent anyone from tampering with the ancient tree.”
“General Yan? General Xing? What’s going on? Are these generals not on good terms?”
Kai frowned, confused by Bai Cheng’s explanation.
Seeing Kai’s expression, Bai Cheng realized that he genuinely didn’t understand. He asked, “Is this Mr. Chen’s first time in Beast City?”
“Yes,” Kai replied with a nod. “I’ve spent my time cultivating in the mountains and forests around Beast City. This is my first time entering it.”
“No wonder,” Bai Cheng said, understanding. “Mr. Chen might not know, but Beast City is currently governed by three great Beast Generals. The City Lord hasn’t appeared in a long time.”
He continued, “The three generals—General Yan, General Xing, and General Qiu—each have their own responsibilities. However, they also don’t trust each other, so they keep each other in check.”
“I serve as a guest official under General Xing’s command. Guarding the ancient tree in this prison was a direct order from him.”
“The prison guards, on the other hand, answer to Captain Zhou, who isn’t aligned with us. In fact, Captain Zhou has always been hostile toward me and looks for chances to oppose me.”
Bai Cheng carefully explained the political tension within Beast City’s leadership.
After listening, Kai began piecing things together. It became clear to him that the change in the prison rules yesterday, extending their outdoor time, wasn’t random.
Moreover, when he fought Bai Cheng, the guards didn’t intervene. It seemed deliberate—Captain Zhou likely intended for the two to clash.
“Where has the City Lord of Beast City gone?” Kai asked.
“I don’t know,” Bai Cheng admitted, shaking his head. “All I know is that the City Lord hasn’t been seen in a very long time.”
After all, Bai Cheng was just a guest under General Xing. It wasn’t surprising that he wouldn’t have access to the deeper secrets of the City Lord’s Mansion.
“Then what’s so special about this ancient tree? Why does it require dedicated guards? Do you know?” Kai pressed further.
Bai Cheng froze for a moment, his expression turning complicated. It was clear he was grappling with whether or not to share certain information.