Chapter 130 - 94: Rat Exposed
"But the Giant Shark Gang is hardly comparable to some common Jianghu gang. Once he gets to the Lishui District and witnesses their power for himself, he’ll surely change his tune."
Just then, a commotion erupted outside the door.
"This little Drunken Immortal Tower puts on quite the air. Guards posted just for a meal? What, am I not allowed to enter Room A?"
"Young Master Wang, please calm down. The officers from the City Guard Department are eating inside. We really shouldn’t disturb them."
"Hmph! You old fool, open your damn eyes and take a good look! My cousin is a noble young master of the Wang Family. You think you can stop him?"
"Cousin, don’t be rude. I just want to go in and pay my respects to the new Branch Chief Constable of the Ruyi Square Sub-Department."
"Now get out of the way!"
"But..."
"Lord Liu, I’ll go see what’s happening." Sha Yu stood up, but just as she was about to head out, the door was suddenly flung open. A young man dressed in a brocade robe, a longsword hanging at his waist, sauntered in.
He was slender with a pale complexion and narrow eyes that held a hint of arrogance. It was none other than Wang Li.
Wang Cong, with his seductive eyes, followed close behind, looking insufferably arrogant.
Shopkeeper Qiu trailed behind them, a bitter expression on his face.
"Well, well! So Miss Sha is here too!" Wang Li seemed surprised to see Sha Yu, but his expression darkened when his gaze fell on Chen Cheng beside her. A sliver of malice flashed in his narrow eyes. "Is Miss Sha having a drink with Junior Brother Chen? How nice. How very nice!"
Sha Yu, who clearly disliked Wang Li, frowned. "Chief Wang, what is the meaning of this? You’re disturbing the guests of the Drunken Immortal Tower."
Wang Li gave a humorless smile. "Miss Sha, this isn’t the Lishui District, and I’m not in uniform. No need to be so formal."
He then turned to Liu Yunfeng and gave a rather arrogant, cupped-fist salute. "You must be Lord Liu, the new Branch Chief Constable of the Ruyi Square Sub-Department?"
Liu Yunfeng was already displeased by Wang Li’s rude entrance. He didn’t know Wang Li personally, but from the commotion outside, he’d pieced a few things together. He figured the man was a scion of the Wang Family, one of the Four Great Clans of the Inner City. And hearing Sha Yu address him as ’Chief Wang,’ he knew he was a Chief Constable from the Lishui District.
As the Branch Chief Constable of the Ruyi Square Sub-Department and a member of the Shen Family, Liu Yunfeng naturally had no reason to fear Wang Li. He remained seated and said in a deep voice, "Young Master Wang, you’ve graced us with your presence. Forgive me for not welcoming you properly. To what do I owe the pleasure?"
Wang Li chuckled. "I heard Lord Liu was promoted to Branch Chief Constable of the Ruyi Square Sub-Department. I came specially to pay my respects."
There was nothing overtly wrong with Wang Li’s words, and Liu Yunfeng had no desire to make an enemy of him, so he replied casually, "You’re too kind."
Wang Li suddenly turned to Chen Cheng, a hint of mockery in his narrow eyes. "Junior Brother Chen, I heard you entered the Double Courtyard to cultivate the Powerful Eagle Claw Skill. Such talent in the Martial Dao is truly extraordinary."
Chen Cheng frowned, hearing him repeatedly use the title "Junior Brother Chen."
They had both joined the Zheng Martial Arts Hall around the same time but had never interacted. As for the titles of senior and junior brother, that ranking could only be determined after a proper match.
By addressing him this way, Wang Li was clearly asserting that his own Martial Arts Power was superior to Chen Cheng’s.
"You flatter me, Young Master Wang," Chen Cheng said lightly.
"Hahaha... Junior Brother Chen certainly has character! But I’ll still offer you a piece of advice: you’d best cultivate your Saber Technique to Perfection as soon as possible. Perhaps then... hahaha..." Wang Li let out a string of cold laughs, leaving behind his cryptic words as he turned and walked out of the room. He had naturally understood the meaning behind Chen Cheng’s response—he hadn’t accepted the title of ’junior brother’ and was being deliberately formal.
Wang Cong, still resentful about failing to secure Room A earlier, had goaded Wang Li into coming, hoping his cousin would stick up for him.
Seeing Wang Li storm off after just a few sentences, he could only stomp his foot in frustration and follow him out of Room A.
"Cousin, I asked you to put them in their place, to knock the Ruyi Square Sub-Department down a peg and get some payback for the Wang Family! Why did you just walk out?"
Wang Li spun around, his expression dark and furious.
"Cousin, Liu Yunfeng is the Branch Chief Constable of the Ruyi Square Sub-Department, after all. You’d best not provoke him."
Wang Cong didn’t understand his cousin’s sudden rage and muttered in defense, "I was just trying to protect the Wang Family’s honor. If we just let this go, what becomes of our reputation?"
Wang Cong was used to throwing his weight around, relying entirely on the name of the Inner City Wang Family. Since he was just the instigator and wouldn’t have to deal with the consequences himself, he naturally wasn’t afraid of escalating the situation.
Wang Li suddenly gave a sinister smile and lowered his voice. "Who said this is over? I’m just letting him enjoy himself for a few days. Stand against me, Wang Li? He’s not even worthy.
"To crush him like an ant at the peak of his triumph... that feeling will surely be exquisite!"
"Cousin, are you saying you’re planning to make a move on that Liu fellow?" Wang Cong asked, a flicker of excitement in his heart.
If Wang Li really had the Branch Chief Constable of the Ruyi Square Sub-Department eliminated, Wang Cong’s own influence would naturally grow.
"SLAP!" Wang Li backhanded him across the face. "Idiot!" he cursed. "Do you think a Branch Chief Constable at the Muscle Strengthening Realm is someone you can provoke so casually?"
"Cousin, what do you mean then?" Wang Cong tried to ask, but Wang Li was already walking away.
...
By the end of the banquet, Mr. Mu was completely drunk, as expected. He had to be helped home by Mu Chuan and Mu Song.
Liu Yunfeng and the others went their separate ways. Chen Cheng hadn’t drunk to excess, but he still felt a slight buzz. It was nothing serious. He silently circulated the Iron Armor Technique Heart Method, mobilizing his body’s Qi Blood Power. The effects of the alcohol instantly vanished, and his eyes grew clear.
After leaving the Drunken Immortal Tower, Chen Cheng strolled down the main street. The lanterns were just beginning to glow, illuminating a bustling, lively scene.
After Wang Li left, Sha Yu had quietly warned Chen Cheng to be careful, saying that Wang Li had a vicious and unpredictable personality and would seek revenge for the slightest offense.
In truth, Chen Cheng didn’t need Sha Yu’s reminder. He had long been aware of Wang Li’s hostility, which dated back to their time at the Zheng Martial Arts Hall. Even back then, Wang Li’s gazes had been far from friendly.
Chen Cheng hadn’t paid it much mind, but when Wang Li left with that "advice" to cultivate his Saber Technique to Perfection, it finally clicked. ’That bastard probably has another identity: Ding Mo, a D-rank assassin from the Wind and Rain Tower.’
Over the past few days, Chen Cheng had made inquiries about the Wind and Rain Tower and learned a fair amount about the assassin organization.
The Wind and Rain Tower accepted assassination contracts in the various black markets of the Outer City District. They didn’t maintain a fixed roster of assassins, instead hiring them on a per-mission basis.
Assassins were divided into four ranks based on strength: A, B, C, and D. D-rank assassins corresponded to Perfect Martial Artists of the Skin Grinding Realm.
As long as they were strong enough, anyone could accept a contract from the Wind and Rain Tower. The assassins didn’t even have to reveal their identities.
In Linji City, Martial Artists at the Muscle Strengthening Realm were already considered mid-tier experts, and all of them had some degree of power and influence. It was rare for anyone to issue an assassination contract against a Muscle Strengthening Realm Martial Artist, and even if they did, few would dare to accept it.
The most common contracts were for assassinating martial artists below the Perfection level of the Skin Grinding Realm. Consequently, D-rank assassins were more numerous, but their level of strength wasn’t considered anything impressive.
Furthermore, the Wind and Rain Tower hid in the shadows like rats, acting merely as middlemen profiting from the contracts. Their assassins were disdained by the Jianghu and often called "vermin."
’The tree may crave stillness, but the wind will not cease,’ Chen Cheng thought, his gaze deepening. ’It seems I’ll have to find an opportunity to eliminate this vermin. I also need to be wary of the Zhou Family. The last time the Wind and Rain Tower came after me, the one who ordered the hit could only have been Zhou Xu.’
Back home, Chen Cheng practiced the Powerful Eagle Claw Skill for another hour to make up for the time lost to drinking and socializing, only then did he rest.
「Two days later.」
After receiving his appointment papers from the South City District City Guard Headquarters, Chen Cheng took Mu Song and the other two to the Linshui Sub-Office.
The Ruyi Square Sub-Office had been somewhat rundown, but the Linshui Sub-Office was far more impressive.
The government office was situated on a wide, central street. It was a rather magnificent complex, with the main Government Office Hall consisting of two adjacent three-story stone buildings.
"Worthy of the Lishui Sub-Department. It’s almost as grand as the South City District City Guard Headquarters," Mu Song remarked with admiration, gazing at the wide gates.
The brothers, Li Sheng and Li Lin, were both visibly excited. ’We really backed the right person in following Chen Cheng,’ they thought.
"Let’s go. We’ll head inside," Chen Cheng said calmly, leading the way through the main gate.
After registering in the Deacon’s Room, Chen Cheng received his new Chief Constable’s Waist Token. A constable then led him into an inner courtyard and to the Branch Chief Constable’s office, where he met his new superior: Ji Jingbei, the Linshui Division Chief Constable.