Chapter 73: Change of Heart, Investigating Secrets
Chapter 73: Change of Heart, Investigating Secrets
Lu Qing was on his way to the grand market.
The person he was looking for was none other than the man in charge, Magus.
If Magus could even get in touch with the Wei family, then he must surely know something about the Black Wolf Gang.
As Lu Qing walked at a leisurely pace, his expression remained calm. However, he felt that there was something peculiar about his current state of mind.
He had just killed quite a few people, yet his heart felt strangely calm, as if he had shed a mental shackle and his entire being was now at ease.
What did this make him? Was he a natural-born killer? After taking so many lives, he felt neither fear nor tension, only a sense of relief.
Or perhaps it was because those he had slain were despicable scoundrels, and thus he felt no guilt.
Lu Qing couldn't help but find his own thoughts a bit odd.
Ever since he had achieved some success in his martial arts cultivation, he had been avoiding killing whenever possible, unsure of how it would affect him if he ever crossed that line.
Perhaps this was a strange remnant of his modern, law-abiding past life.
Now it seemed that he had worried too much.
While taking a life was certainly not something to be happy about, its impact on him was not as significant as he had imagined.
As long as he could maintain his own moral compass, the act of killing would not corrupt his heart.
With these strange thoughts swirling in his mind, Lu Qing arrived at the grand market.
It wasn't a market day, and the place was deserted.
Lu Qing glanced around and then made his way towards a house not far from the market.
When he reached the house, he found the front gate closed, so he knocked a few times.
Soon, someone came to open the door, and upon seeing Lu Qing, their eyes widened in surprise.
"Young Master Lu, what brings you here?"
The person who had opened the door was none other than Magus' subordinate, Xiao Tian, whom Lu Qing had met before.
"I've come to pay a visit to Lord Magus. I'm not sure if he's home," Lu Qing inquired.
"Yes, yes, Lord Magus is in the back garden drinking. I'll go call him out," Xiao Tian quickly replied.
"There's no need to trouble yourself. I'll just go directly to the back garden to meet with Lord Magus," Lu Qing said, not wanting to waste any time.
Xiao Tian thought about it and didn't see any problem with that.
After all, he knew that Lord Magus had always wanted to befriend this Young Master Lu, even going so far as to gift him his treasured blade.
So, after a moment's hesitation, Xiao Tian nodded and said, "Please follow me, Young Master Lu."
Lu Qing followed Xiao Tian into the house and through two gates until they reached a unique small courtyard.
In the courtyard, there was a vine-covered arbor, beneath which stood a stone table, and a man was sitting there drinking alone—none other than Magus.
"Young Master Lu, please wait here for a moment," Xiao Tian said, stopping Lu Qing momentarily before hurrying over to Magus and whispering something in his ear.
Lu Qing then saw Magus stand up with a delighted look on his face and turn to face him.
"Little Brother Lu, what brings you here?" Magus asked with a smile.
"Lord Magus seems to be in high spirits, drinking so early in the morning," Lu Qing said as he walked forward.
"Just passing the time with a few drinks," Magus replied, clearly in a good mood. "Care to join me for a drink or two, Little Brother Lu?"
He was certainly in high spirits.
Recently, the matter with the young master of the Wei family had been resolved perfectly. Not only had he avoided punishment from the Wei family, but the chief steward of the Wei family had even rewarded him with many gifts, putting him in a great mood as of late.
"Perhaps another day. I actually came here today because I have a matter I wish to discuss with you, Lord Magus," Lu Qing declined politely.
It was only then that Magus noticed the battle sword that Lu Qing had strapped to his back.
Chapter 73: Change of Heart, Investigating Secrets
Lu Qing made his way to the grand market, his expression calm and collected. He was seeking an audience with the man in charge, Magus, certain that he would have some knowledge of the Black Wolf Gang, given his connections with the Wei family. As he walked, his thoughts turned to the peculiar state of his mind. He had just taken multiple lives, yet he felt strangely at ease, as if a mental burden had been lifted from his shoulders. Was he a natural-born killer? He felt no fear, tension, or guilt, only a sense of relief. Perhaps it was because those he had slain were despicable scoundrels.
Lu Qing found his own thoughts somewhat odd. Ever since he had made progress in his martial arts cultivation, he had avoided taking lives whenever possible, unsure of the psychological impact it would have on him. Maybe it was a remnant of his law-abiding past life. Now, it seemed he had worried unnecessarily. While taking a life was not something to be taken lightly, its impact on him was not as significant as he had anticipated. As long as he maintained his moral compass, he believed that the act of killing would not corrupt his heart.
With these thoughts swirling in his mind, Lu Qing arrived at the grand market, only to find it deserted as it wasn't a market day. He glanced around and made his way towards a house located not far from the market. Upon reaching the house, he found the front gate closed, so he knocked a few times.
Soon, the door opened, and Magus' subordinate, Xiao Tian, whom Lu Qing had met before, greeted him with a surprised look.
"Young Master Lu, what brings you here?" Xiao Tian inquired.
"I've come to pay a visit to Lord Magus. I'm not sure if he's home," Lu Qing replied.
"Yes, yes, Lord Magus is in the back garden. I'll go call him out," Xiao Tian quickly offered.
"There's no need to trouble yourself. I'll just go directly to the back garden to meet with him," Lu Qing said, eager to save time.
Xiao Tian hesitated but eventually agreed, knowing that Lord Magus had been eager to befriend Young Master Lu and had even gifted him a treasured blade.
Lu Qing followed Xiao Tian into the house and through two gates until they reached a unique small courtyard. There, beneath a vine-covered arbor, sat Magus, drinking alone at a stone table.
"Young Master Lu, please wait here for a moment," Xiao Tian said, momentarily stopping Lu Qing before hurrying over to Magus and whispering something in his ear.
Lu Qing saw Magus stand up with a delighted look on his face and turn to face him.
"Little Brother Lu, what brings you here?" Magus asked with a smile.
"Lord Magus seems to be in high spirits, drinking so early in the morning," Lu Qing remarked as he walked forward.
"Just passing the time with a few drinks," Magus replied, clearly in a good mood. "Care to join me for a drink or two, Little Brother Lu?"
"Perhaps another day," Lu Qing politely declined. "I actually came here today because I have a matter I wish to discuss with you."
It was only then that Magus noticed the battle sword strapped to Lu Qing's back.
"It seems like something serious has brought you here, Little Brother Lu. Come, have a seat, and tell me what's on your mind," Magus said, his expression turning more serious.
"Lord Magus, do you know someone by the name of Han Wu?" Lu Qing asked, his demeanor becoming more solemn.
"Han Wu?" Magus thought for a moment before shaking his head. "I don't believe I've heard that name before."
"He claims to be a disciple of the Black Wolf Gang, and he has a sworn brother named Zhao Xiong, who is also a member of the gang," Lu Qing explained.
Zhao Xiong was the name of the man with the black mole on his face, the man Lu Qing had kicked to death. He had discovered this information through his ability to probe.
"The Black Wolf Gang?" Magus looked surprised. "How did you get involved with them?"
"Are they very powerful?" Lu Qing asked.
"I wouldn't say they're extremely powerful, but they are known for their underhanded and ruthless tactics," Magus replied. "They are involved in various unsavory businesses, such as brothels and gambling dens, which has given them significant influence in the county. They are considered one of the three major gangs in the area."
"I see," Lu Qing said, processing this new information.
"So, you have a score to settle with the Black Wolf Gang?" Magus inquired.
"You could say that," Lu Qing nodded. "My parents... they were likely killed by them."
Magus was speechless. This was not just a minor grudge; it was a deep-seated hatred! However, he was puzzled as Xiao Tian's investigation in Jiuli Village had revealed that Lu Qing's parents had drowned accidentally. It seemed there was more to this tragedy than met the eye.
"Are you certain about this, Lu Xiao brother?" Magus asked.
"I'm still investigating, but the information came from the elders in my village, so it's likely accurate," Lu Qing replied.
"And what about Han Wu and Zhao Xiong? What is their connection to all of this?" Magus inquired.
"This morning, a group of men claiming to be from the Black Wolf Gang barged into our village, intending to take me and Xiao Yan away," Lu Qing explained. "They said it was to repay a debt my parents owed the gang. Han Wu and Zhao Xiong were among them."
"And what happened to those men from the Black Wolf Gang?" Magus asked, his eyes narrowing.
"I killed them," Lu Qing stated flatly.
"..." Magus was taken aback. He hadn't expected his young companion to have just taken lives so recently. However, given Lu Qing's identity as a martial artist, he could understand the situation.
In this era, it was not uncommon for martial artists to have taken lives, and as long as they didn't massacre civilians, the local authorities often turned a blind eye to their conflicts.
"Were you unable to question Han Wu and Zhao Xiong about your parents' deaths before they died?" Magus asked after a moment.
Lu Qing shook his head. "I acted too hastily and didn't get the chance to interrogate them. I only learned of the gang's involvement in my parents' deaths afterward."
Magus was silent, contemplating the young man's ruthless nature.
"So, you've killed some members of the Black Wolf Gang, but you still don't know the full truth behind your parents' deaths?" Magus clarified.
"That's right," Lu Qing nodded. "However, from what I understand, Han Wu and Zhao Xiong were not formal members of the gang but rather peripheral associates. They also seem to have a few brothers in the area who are causing trouble, and those individuals are likely also responsible for my parents' deaths."
"Peripheral associates?" Magus frowned, a spark of realization crossing his eyes. "I think I may know who you're looking for."
(End of Chapter)
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