```
He was in the middle of speaking when he pushed open the door and froze in place, for the room was long since empty, not even the bedding or coverings remained—they had been neatly packed and taken away.
It appeared that last night, this venerable elder had already happily taken his million Gold Coins and gone off to enjoy his retirement.
Not to mention that Linshui City had already lost the means to resist—having soldiers and generals made no difference. This corrupt official, who pocketed no less than a million-plus Gold Coins, naturally couldn't bring himself to stand against it.
To speak frankly, had the Great Tang Group won, he might've retained a sliver of willingness to cooperate, but how would this corrupt official explain his actions to the higher-ups of Zheng Country if the Great Tang Group lost?
