Chapter 102 - 82: Starry Night Visitor
As for the conflicts between Jianghu Gangs, the City Guard Department continued to turn a blind eye, ignoring them completely.
At the Ruyi Square Sub-Department, Branch Chief Constable Shen Qingshuang had personally issued an order strictly forbidding any City Guard Department Officials from associating too closely with Jianghu Gangs. The various Chief Constables and constables were naturally happy to have an easier time of it.
Furthermore, Shen Qingshuang specifically called out Zhao Yongfeng, ordering him to stop protecting the Flying Eagle Gang. Zhao Yongfeng, who had long been a marginalized figure in the Ruyi Square Sub-Department, didn’t dare to make a fuss and could only obey.
As a Preparatory Chief Constable, Chen Cheng had even less to do. Besides clocking in on time and occasionally showing his face at the Ruyi Square Sub-Department to stay familiar, he spent the rest of his time at home, focused on cultivating the Wind Chasing Saber Technique.
Two more days passed. A rumor began to spread from the South City District City Guard Headquarters that the Lord Chief Steward, Jiang Xinghan, was about to step down to take a position in the Protectorate Army. His most likely successor was said to be the Branch Chief Constable of the Ruyi Square Sub-Department, Shen Qingshuang.
As the most important Government Office in Linji City, a rumor like this originating from the City Guard Department was clearly not baseless. In all likelihood, the higher-ups had already reached a consensus. Shen Qingshuang’s extraordinary promotion to City Guard Chief was practically a done deal.
With Shen Qingshuang’s promotion, the position of Branch Chief Constable of the Ruyi Square Sub-Department would be left vacant, and the most likely candidate for the role was Liu Yunfeng.
A shift in power has far-reaching consequences.
With Shen Qingshuang’s rise to power, Zhou Xu, an Official at the South City District City Guard Headquarters, was naturally met with a cold reception.
As the second-in-command of the City Guard Headquarters, he had always been at odds with Shen Qingshuang. Once she took office, it was feared the first thing she would do was suppress him.
With Zhou Xu’s loss of power, the Zhou Family’s influence in the South City District plummeted. The Jianghu Gangs and other forces that had previously relied on the Zhou Family would inevitably seek a new backer.
And that new backer could only be the next head of the South City District City Guard Headquarters, Shen Qingshuang, and the Shen Family behind her.
This change occurred swiftly. On the very night the news of Shen Qingshuang’s impending promotion broke, the Flying Eagle Gang—which was poised to become the top gang in the Ruyi District—met with disaster.
Gang Leader Cao Fei and several of his Incense Masters were slain by an unknown expert. Zhou Biao, Cao Fei’s most capable subordinate, was among the Incense Masters killed.
All sorts of rumors flew about regarding the incident. Some claimed that Cao Fei and his men had made too many enemies while expanding their territory and were killed for revenge.
Others said the Flying Eagle Gang had committed countless evil deeds, and young heroes from the Four Great Clans of the Inner City had stepped out to deliver justice.
Yet another version claimed that rival gangs had hired assassins, intending to seize the Flying Eagle Gang’s territory.
In any case, the consequence of Cao Fei and his Incense Masters’ deaths was the Flying Eagle Gang’s overnight collapse. Several new Jianghu Gangs emerged in the Ruyi District and, together with the existing gangs, completely carved up the Flying Eagle Gang’s former territory.
The Ruyi Square Sub-Department continued to ignore the matter. Branch Chief Constable Shen Qingshuang seemed to have no intention of cultivating any single Jianghu Gang to become the dominant power, letting them all fend for themselves.
The gang wars in Ruyi District grew increasingly fierce, and it seemed unlikely that a situation where one gang held absolute dominance, as the Flying Eagle Gang once had, would occur again.
「That night.」
The night sky was deep and cloudless, vast and distant. A crescent moon hung on the horizon, and countless stars twinkled across the expanse.
After dinner and a short rest, Chen Cheng began practicing his Wind Chasing Saber Technique under the faint light of the moon and stars. After an hour, his simple robe was soaked through with sweat.
The chirping of summer insects drifted from the backyard, along with the calls of various unknown birds that Xi’Er had attracted. From under the eaves of the main hall came the occasional hoot of a Night Owl.
Lowering his saber, Chen Cheng called up his status panel.
[Name: Chen Cheng
Realm: Skin Grinding Realm (Great Success)
Skills: Iron Armor Skill (Great Success 3855/10000), Wind Chasing Saber Technique (Perfection 31432/100000), Bear Skin Grinding Technique (Great Success 3568/10000)]
His Cultivation Progress for the Wind Chasing Saber Technique was increasing extremely fast. In another month, he would be able to develop Saber Momentum.
’Cultivating the Martial Dao really is fastest when you’re free of distractions and can focus completely!’
Chen Cheng mused to himself.
Just then, a black shadow suddenly flew down from the eaves of the main hall and landed silently behind Chen Cheng. It was the Night Owl, Xiaoguzi.
This strange bird had sensitive hearing and was extremely alert at night. It paced anxiously behind Chen Cheng, its large, reddish-yellow glowing eyes darting warily toward the courtyard gate.
The neighbors were all long asleep by now, so they couldn’t be the ones disturbing the Night Owl. The only possibility was that an uninvited guest had arrived at the Chen residence!
At this thought, Chen Cheng quickly darted to the side, picked up his shirt from the stone table, and put it on. Then, grasping his long saber, he stood silently in wait.
A few moments later, the sound of light footsteps came from the alley outside the courtyard. The sound reached the gate, then abruptly stopped.
After a brief pause, a sword-wielding figure suddenly leaped onto the courtyard wall and peered inside.
Seeing Chen Cheng standing with his saber at the ready, the man seemed startled. He flinched slightly, his first instinct to leave.
However, upon seeing that Chen Cheng was the only one in the courtyard, he steadied his stance.
"Heh, you live up to your reputation as the most ruthless constable in the Ruyi District. Still practicing your Saber Technique so late at night?"
The visitor chuckled, his tone mocking. His words were laced with an inexplicable conceit and arrogance.
Chen Cheng was extremely familiar with that voice. It belonged to Ding Mo, the assassin from the Wind and Rain Tower.
"Ding Mo!" Chen Cheng frowned, his voice cold.
In the Outer City District, people like Ding Mo were the most dangerous, and Chen Cheng had always been on his guard against him.
"You’ve got a good memory, kid, to still remember me. I imagine you haven’t been sleeping well these past few days, have you?"
Ding Mo shrugged, his tone casual.
This bastard hadn’t shown up uninvited in the middle of the night for small talk, and Chen Cheng had no desire to waste words either. He raised his long saber slightly and said decisively, "Since you’re here, get down here and fight."