Chapter 65: Strength
Chapter 65: Strength
"Rebels will be executed without mercy!" With Shang Qinglai's command, the patrol officers swiftly charged towards Zheng Fu and his group.
Zheng Fu and his men, however, were not going to sit idly and wait for their demise. These escorts were all skilled fighters, unafraid of the ruthless gang forces they had encountered on their journey, and they held no fear towards the official magistrates either.
Shang Qinglai's side had the advantage of numbers, and with several senior patrol officers, including Shang Qinglai himself, who were also highly skilled, the battle quickly turned against Zheng Fu's group. In no time, they were overwhelmed, and their corpses littered the ground.
In a short while, only a few of Zheng Fu's men, who had reached the Muscle Cultivation level, remained fighting fiercely.
These men were no ordinary fighters; Zheng Fu, in particular, had not only achieved the Muscle Cultivation realm but had also developed a formidable Blade Aura in his swordsmanship. He was no less skilled than Shang Qinglai. Although the others lacked the Blade Aura, they had the physique of Muscle Cultivation, and their fight against the other senior patrol officers was intense.
"Shang Qinglai, your audacity will not go unremembered by the Zheng family!" Zheng Fu, covered in blood, held off Shang Qinglai with his blade, his voice cold and menacing.
"Then remember it," Shang Qinglai replied with a cold smile.
Loyal to his role as a senior patrol officer of the City Guard, once he had decided to serve under Chen Mu, Shang Qinglai acted decisively without hesitation. Bringing up the Zheng family to intimidate him was not enough to deter him.
However, compared to Shang Qinglai, the other senior patrol officers hesitated slightly upon hearing Zheng Fu's threat. The Zheng family's notorious reputation made them fear retaliation. It was impossible to work for the City Guard and not get entangled in such incidents unless they were willing to give up their positions.
Seeing a few of the senior patrol officers being intimidated by Zheng Fu's words, a glint flashed in Zheng Fu's eyes as he searched for an opportunity to break through and escape. With the situation at hand, protecting the cargo was impossible. It would be taken by Chen Mu, but the Zheng family's power and influence meant that losing one shipment would not cripple them. Chen Mu and the City Guard's bold actions would have consequences; they would see the repercussions later!
Zheng Fu suddenly unleashed a torrent of blade light, forcing his way through Shang Qinglai's guard saber with all his might. Then, with a leap, he attempted to escape through a gap in the battle.
Shang Qinglai's eyes narrowed slightly, and by the time he tried to stop Zheng Fu, it was almost too late. Both men were evenly matched, having achieved minor success in Muscle Cultivation and possessing the Blade Aura. Once an opening was found, it was difficult to stop one from escaping.
Zheng Fu's figure soared high into the dim moonlight and landed on the tall wall beside the alley. With another leap, he was about to disappear into the darkness.
But just at that moment, a faint light flashed in the darkness, followed by a heavy object falling from above. It landed with a thud in the middle of the battlefield, and as everyone stared in shock, they saw Zheng Fu's headless corpse!
The remaining guards of the Zheng family were horrified. They looked towards where Zheng Fu had fallen and saw a figure in a dark green patrol uniform, holding a severed head, lightly landing on the high wall.
"Finish them quickly," Chen Mu said calmly, tossing the head into the alley.
"Yes, sir!" Shang Qinglai exclaimed, his heart trembling at the sight.
Although he had heard from Xu Feng about Chen Mu, the newly appointed patrol commander, whose young age belied his exceptional strength, it was still mostly hearsay until today, when he truly witnessed Chen Mu's prowess.
Zheng Fu, almost equal in strength to Chen Mu, had achieved minor success in Muscle Cultivation and possessed the Blade Aura. Yet, against Chen Mu, he didn't even last a single round, and before he could even cry out, his body was separated from his head!
Even the previous patrol commander, Xu Feng, probably had strength comparable to this.
Not just Shang Qinglai, but all the patrol officers were stunned at this moment, gazing at Zheng Fu's corpse and severed head. Initially, they thought Chen Mu was merely filling Xu Feng's position due to his connections, but now it was clear that Chen Mu's strength alone qualified him for the role. No wonder he was unafraid of the Zheng family, taking revenge just a few days into his appointment.
The formidable strength of their superior was undoubtedly a good thing, and several patrol officers who were previously wavering in their hearts now had their eyes filled with murderous intent. They acted with extreme ruthlessness, working in tandem with Shang Qinglai to swiftly deal with the remaining few Martial Scholar guards.
At this moment, Chen Mu had already reached the side of the two carriages and lifted the cloth covering the carts, revealing several large wooden crates. As he opened the crates, a strange mixture of medicinal scents wafted out.
Having practiced various Skin Tempering Arts and Muscle Cultivation Techniques, Chen Mu had come into contact with numerous medicinal ingredients, and although he wasn't an expert in this field, he could still make basic identifications. With a cursory glance, he spotted many forbidden herbs among them.
The Great Xuan Dynasty had strict regulations stating that any primary medicinal ingredients related to the Body Tempering Art for martial cultivators were prohibited from private trade. Instead, they were to be handled through the designated Medicine Bureau, allowing the imperial court to control the martial arts and also reap significant profits.
During the heyday of the imperial court, apart from the court itself, sects were eradicated in batches, and loose cultivators were kept in check. Those who practiced Sinew Strengthening and Bone Tempering Techniques dared not cause trouble within the city, or they would immediately face the court's encirclement and suppression.
However, those glorious days were long gone.
But these two carriages of medicinal ingredients were just what Chen Mu needed.
According to the imperial laws, private sale of forbidden medicinal ingredients was punishable by confiscation of property and exile! Chen Mu didn't want to investigate cases of oppressing men and women or street murders because the Zheng family could easily find someone to take the fall, which wouldn't cause them any significant harm. But this crime was different; confiscation and exile would uproot the entire Zheng family!
As Chen Mu was inspecting the medicinal ingredients in the carriages, he suddenly spotted something.
In the 16th carriage, he found a book, a manual with not a single mistake in it!
The battle on the other side finally came to an end, and the remaining few Martial Scholar guards dared not resist, allowing themselves to be bound.
"Sir, it's all taken care of," Shang Qinglai reported respectfully, holding a bloodstained guard saber as he approached Chen Mu.
Chen Mu turned to glance at him and waved his sleeve, saying, "Dispatch a team to escort the people and goods back to the City Guard for interrogation. The rest of you, follow me."
Upon hearing these words, Shang Qinglai's expression froze slightly. Escorting the people and goods back to the City Guard for interrogation was necessary, and after a round of questioning, even if it didn't hurt the Zheng family significantly, it would still cause them a great deal of trouble.
However, Chen Mu's next words seemed to indicate that he didn't plan to call off the operation.
If they weren't returning, where would they go? Sensing Shang Qinglai's thoughts, Chen Mu said in a solemn tone, "Patrol Officer Shang, according to the Imperial Laws of Daxuan, what is the punishment for unauthorized sale of forbidden medicinal ingredients?"
At these words, Shang Qinglai's heart skipped a beat, realizing what Chen Mu intended to do. Nevertheless, he quickly responded, "Unauthorized sale of forbidden medicinal ingredients is punishable by confiscation of property and exile for three thousand li."
Chen Mu's actions tonight were not just about seizing a batch of goods from the Zheng family; he was going to use this as a starting point to uproot the entire Zheng family overnight! This young new Patrol Commander, who was only in his early twenties, had remained calm and composed from the very first day when the Zheng family came to cause trouble. Who would have thought that his retaliation against the Zheng family would be so swift and fierce!
If he didn't take action, he would remain still. But once he did, he would turn the world upside down.
Regardless of the final outcome tonight, tomorrow, the entire Willow Grove, or even the entire Southern District, was likely to experience an earthquake.
"Let's move!" Chen Mu said in a deep voice.
Shang Qinglai dared not hesitate and immediately responded, dispatching a small team to take away the scattered Zheng family guards along with the goods. The rest of the team set off once again, heading towards the Zheng family's residence.
(End of Chapter)
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