He swiftly stood at attention, saluting, "Greetings, Commander!"

Shao Qi sat opposite him, waving dismissively, "That's enough. You're no longer under my command. Take a seat."

Xu Yintian sat upright, contrasting sharply with his earlier casual demeanor. "Even after discharging, I come from a military background. I am still your soldier." Few knew that City Lord Xu had once served in the Fiery Blaze Unit under a pseudonym, concealing his real identity. After traveling around the country stabilizing bases with Shao Qi, he had retired.

While most who leave military service might start a business or inherit family assets, the Xu family's legacy was Yangcheng Base. His father, the previous city lord, had immensely contributed to its construction, and his statue stood in the People's Square. Naturally, Xu Yintian inherited the position, backed by a powerful private army, the only city lord in the country to have such a force.

Many factions initially expected Xu Yintian to falter. The public loved and supported the Xu family, but numerous clans coveted their power. If Xu Yintian couldn’t control his army, he couldn't suppress the ambitions of the major Yangcheng families.

Contrary to expectations, Xu Yintian not only gained the loyalty of his private army but also won over the major families. With his inherent strength, he soon secured his position as city lord.

Xu Yintian understood that his success was largely due to Shao Qi's guidance and assistance. He regarded Shao Qi both as a leader and a mentor. If not for his desire to keep their relationship private, Shao Qi would be treated as a VIP upon entering Yangcheng Base.

"Marshal, is your visit to Yangcheng for official business? I heard about the Jiangnan Base incident. We definitely don't have any underground labs here. The Heavenly God Sect you asked me to investigate recently disintegrated, with its key figures all vanishing."

Shao Qi nodded, "Indeed. All of Master Wei's disciples were eliminated by us. He's gravely injured and his status is unknown. In the short term, he's unlikely to resurface. Just be cautious of any imposters."

"Understood. As for the Zhu family, don't worry. If not for my sister Xu Jingyi insisting on marrying into the Zhu family, I would've dealt with them long ago." Xu Yintian felt torn, as blood ties complicated decisions.

Over the years, the Zhu family grew more audacious, infiltrating both the military and the government, all in hopes of their heirs succeeding the city lord position.

After all, City Lord Xu was gay and in a stable relationship, showing no intention of marrying or having children.

"Last time, you mentioned introducing your family. Why have you come alone this time?" Shao Qi teased. Hearing of the city lord's arrival, people from upstairs began to descend.

Although Xu Yintian knew Miao Miao and the others, they weren't close, having served in different squads. Everyone was stunned by Xu Yintian's respectful posture and demeanor in front of Shao Qi.

Li Yunxi recalled a letter of introduction her brother once received from Shao Qi, specifically for City Lord Xu. So, they did know each other!

If not for their previous encounters, they'd have secured a place in Yangcheng Base by now. She could have lived with her brother and had a happy family. But now, she had lost everything.

From the moment Long Gan left Jiangnan Base, he realized his life had taken a different course. Others doubted his decision to leave a promising career and follow a few individuals. Now, he could confidently say it was worth it.

As a former exploration team leader in Jiangnan Base, he had been mid-tier. Meeting city officials was a privilege, let alone someone of Xu Yintian's caliber. Yet now, he sat beside the city lord.

"Let me introduce everyone," Su Ting said courteously, standing to the side like a seasoned butler. Who would've guessed that he was once a prominent arms dealer?

As the city's defense and criminal investigation teams arrived, Shao Qi and the others were having breakfast with City Lord Xu. It was a lavish spread, fitting for a group of martial artists with their immense calorie requirements, featuring hearty meats and fish.

Xu Yintian noticed the ever-calm Marshal attentively serving Zhou You, picking out fish bones and peeling shrimp for him. The warm smile on his face was unmistakably that of someone deeply in love.

Observing the others, except for Wan Jianzong's young master occasionally rolling his eyes in resentment, everyone seemed unfazed, continuing to eat and drink.

Impressive! Truly impressive individuals!

What intrigued him the most was Zhou You. Rumors had it that Shao Qi killed solely for Zhou You's sake. While there might have been other reasons for his actions, to the public, it seemed he had acted out of passion for his beloved, leading many to whisper behind closed doors about Zhou You being a dangerous love interest.

Xu Yintian closely examined Zhou You's handsome face. The resemblance to his father, Zhou Huajin, was undeniable, especially around the eyes. Judge Zhou, even at his age, remained a dashing figure. It was rumored that his good looks were the very reason Hu Xueqing had fallen for him, overlooking the fact that he was already a married man.

Xu Yintian hadn't come unprepared. He had researched those around Shao Qi and their activities at the Jiangnan base weren't hard to trace. He had received the news before anyone else. Zhou You had made quite a name for himself there, outdoing even Shao Qi in accomplishments. He was hailed as a hero by the public. It's fortunate that the internet connections between the bases are down; otherwise, with the news from last night, there surely would've been online clashes between the two bases.

After breakfast, Xu Yintian and Shao Qi went upstairs for a private conversation in the study. No one knew what they discussed, but Xu Yintian almost stumbled down the stairs as he came back down.

"Be careful, Lord! Apologies, the mansion has been neglected for years." Su Ting'er rushed over to assist him with incredible speed, so fast that even Zhou You saw only a blur. Judging by that, he surely possessed skills surpassing that of a common warrior.