Chapter 1
Chapter 1
A ray of morning light pierced through the darkness, casting its glow upon the magnificent ancient city walls.
The Great Xuan Dynasty had stood for nearly a thousand years, but the Bureaucratic Governance was in disarray, and the officials were corrupt. The faint golden light illuminated the City of the Province, shining on every grand or dilapidated building, yet it could not penetrate the dark and corrupt hearts of its people.
Chen Mu wore a Standard Constable Uniform, with a Broad Blade Saber hanging at his waist. He walked through the narrow alleyways, the pungent smell of blood causing him to frown slightly.
He continued walking for a while.
Then he saw several bodies lying haphazardly on the wider road, their conditions gruesome, as if they had been hacked to pieces by multiple blades, barely recognizable as human. The walls of the nearby houses were smeared with blood and flesh.
"Ah, these are the people from the Black Sand Gang. Looks like they're all gone."
The other Patrol Officer standing beside Chen Mu sighed, "This Black Sand Gang was untouchable around here a year ago, but after their leader fell, they've been declining steadily. Now, even a few stragglers weren't enough to save them."
"Shh, don't talk about it. It's none of our business. Just clean up,."
The third Patrol Officer made a shushing gesture, then picked up his tools and prepared to clean the street.
Chen Mu looked at the gruesome scene, frowned, and finally shook his head.
In the two years he had been in this world, he had seen such scenes more than once. This City of the Province, which looked grand and magnificent, was actually a chaotic and violent place filled with conflict and bloodshed.
Gang wars and the extermination of entire families were common occurrences, even in the seemingly prestigious 'Inner City.' Every day, bodies were thrown out from there, and as a Patrol Officer, their main job was to clean up after the fact.
Chen Mu had once seen a colleague get killed for speaking out of turn. The man's body was found in a ditch, and no one from above cared to ask questions or investigate.
To drive away the pungent smell of blood, Chen Mu fanned his sleeve and then followed his colleagues.
Actually, being a Patrol officer in this chaotic city was considered a good job. As long as one kept their head down, stayed out of trouble, and did not offend their superiors, they were relatively safe. Unlike the common folk who lived in constant fear, the patrol officers had a relatively secure life.
Chen Mu had gotten this job because of his late father, a former patrol officer who had connections. On his deathbed, he arranged for Chen Mu to take over his position, then passed away.
However, the original Chen Mu didn't live long after taking over the position. He died of a severe illness, and the current Chen Mu was a soul from Earth who had inherited this identity.
Although the original Chen Mu was a minor figure in his previous life, his experience in the lower ranks had taught him valuable skills in reading people and understanding social dynamics. This helped him adapt quickly to this new world, and he had lived peacefully for two years.
As they worked, Chen Mu also searched the bodies, a common practice among the officers. They usually didn't find much, but occasionally, they would find some loose coins.
Chen Mu searched the body he was handling, but found nothing. He noticed his colleague, Liu Song, putting something in his pocket.
"Why do I never find anything?"
Chen Mu had handled hundreds of bodies over the past two years, but had only found a few loose coins a few times.
He continued searching the body, and felt something strange. He found a small, tattered yellow paper booklet.
Chen Mu hesitated for a moment, then carefully looked at the booklet. He saw the words '... Wind Swordsmanship' on the cover.
"Hmm."
Chen Mu's heart stirred slightly, but his hands discreetly concealed his movements as he quietly tucked away the small booklet.
If the corpse had any ledgers, maps, or similar items on it, it was best to pretend ignorance. Such items would be of no use to him, and might even attract unwanted trouble. However, if it was a damaged blade technique manual, it shouldn't pose much of a problem. Most likely, it was something others didn't want, or else the killers would have taken it during the night.
Liu Song and the others noticed Chen Mu's actions, but after a quick glance at each other, they silently agreed not to inquire further.
"Let's go!"
The group busily moved the body onto a small wooden cart and then pushed it out of the city.
Not far north of the city lay the Chaotic Burial Ground.
Chen Mu, Liu Song, Li Liu, and the others transported the body to a remote location and casually tossed it aside. There was no need to bury it; the area was frequented by wild wolves at night, which would make for good wolf hunting the next day. They could sell the wolf pelts for some extra money.
In truth, none of them wanted to linger outside the city for long. Inside the city, their roles as constables held some value, but outside, it was a lawless place where no one cared about anyone else. Every additional moment spent there increased the risk.
The group hastily disposed of the body and hurried back into the city, finally letting out a sigh of relief once they were inside.
"Chen Er, how about we go for a drink today?" Liu Song asked Chen Mu with a broad smile.
His name wasn't actually Liu Song; it was just his surname. His given name was 'Song,' but since he was the third-born in his family, everyone called him Liu Song. Chen Mu's older brother had passed away early, making him the second-born in the family, so some people also called him Chen Er.
"No, thanks."
Chen Mu waved his hand in refusal.
Drinking, eating meat, and listening to music were all things he desired, but his financial situation was a source of embarrassment.
Being a constable was considered a relatively stable job, but it didn't pay well. The officials above them skimmed most of the silver, leaving just enough for their daily expenses. If they wanted to indulge in a lavish meal with wine, it would be completely unaffordable.
Chen Mu's family situation added to his concerns. He had a younger sister who was seven years his junior, and she had to stay hidden at home, effectively becoming another mouth to feed. His circumstances were far less favorable compared to Liu Song and the others, who came from relatively well-off families.
Liu Song, seeing Chen Mu about to leave, smiled and said, "Chen Er, your sister is almost of marriageable age. Let me help you find a way for her to marry into a wealthy family. That way, she'll have no worries about food or clothing, and you'll also get some silver out of it. What do you say?"
Having worked alongside Chen Mu for years, Liu Song was well aware of his situation. When Chen Mu's father fell ill, they spent all their savings on medical treatment, leaving the family destitute. Now, as constables, they barely earned enough, and Chen Mu also had to support his sister, who couldn't work outside due to her circumstances. Compared to the truly impoverished, they didn't go hungry, but other aspects of their lives were lacking.
Upon hearing Liu Song's suggestion, Chen Mu's mind flashed to the image of his innocent and carefree younger sister, Chen Yue. She was only twelve years old when he arrived in this world, gravely ill. She had been by his side, tirelessly taking care of him, bringing him water and food, and helping his body recover.
Although they had only known each other for two years, the bond between them was strong. He considered her his sister, and given his recent arrival in this world, he couldn't possibly consider selling her for silver. Such an act would make him no better than a beast.
"Sure, if you have any ideas, just let me know, brother."
Liu Song didn't press further. He patted Chen Mu's shoulder with a smile and then left with Li Liu for their drink.
As Liu Song and the others went their separate ways, Chen Mu walked along the alleyways, first reaching the main street. At the corner, he took out ten Xuan Cash coins and bought two coarse bread buns. Only then did he head home.
"These prices..."
Chen Mu weighed the remaining coins in his pocket and shook his head slightly.
From his past memories, he recalled that over a decade ago, one Xuan Cash coin was enough to buy a bun. Now, it took five coins, not because the buns had gotten more expensive, but because the Xuan Cash had been devalued due to rampant private and chaotic minting.
This directly affected constables like him, who received their pay in Xuan Cash. Although there had been a symbolic increase of one Guan, it didn't make up for the declining value of the coins.
He wondered where the missing value had gone.
Soon, Chen Mu arrived at his home in this world.
It was located on the outskirts of the Southern District, in a row of somewhat dilapidated wooden and earthen houses. There were only two houses in the row; one served as a firewood shed, used for cooking, and the other was the living quarters.
(End of Chapter)
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