Chapter 37: Chapter 35: Disturbance

The streets were in utter chaos.

The source of it all was the sacrificial ceremony by the river.

Old Li glanced worriedly toward the riverbank and whispered, “Ah Qing, we should… just focus on maintaining order on the surrounding waterways for now…”

Chen Qing nodded silently. ’That’s exactly what I was thinking.’

The Captain had been attacked. Rushing to the center of the scene now would risk getting drawn into the vortex, or even becoming collateral damage.

They were just grunts from the River Department; self-preservation was the best course of action.

The two of them struggled to move against the panicked flow of the crowd.

Chen Qing asked in a low voice, “Old Li, what in the world happened?”

Old Li steadied himself, his voice laced with lingering fear. “The ceremony was at its most critical moment when several black figures suddenly burst out of the river. They were all masked experts in black. They fired Sleeve Arrows and Crossbow Arrows all at once, and the Lord Captain was run through the chest with a sword by one of them! Even the County Magistrate was injured… The scene just exploded. Complete chaos…”

A chill went down Chen Qing’s spine.

No matter how skilled you were, it was impossible to defend against a hidden arrow.

Thinking of this, he secretly warned himself, ’In the future, I must always strike before the enemy has a chance to make their move.’

“Get out of the way!”

Just then, a coarse roar erupted, and the crowd was forcefully parted to create a path.

Chen Qing followed the sound with his eyes and saw squads of County Soldiers in black Armor, sprinting toward the sacrificial altar like a pack of wolves, their swords drawn and radiating killing intent.

Old Li tugged on Chen Qing’s sleeve, his voice even lower. “Listen to me. Just focus on what’s in front of us.”

Chen Qing understood. The two of them immediately began directing the panicked commoners on the periphery, doing their best to maintain the crumbling order.

…

By evening, Chief River Envoy Ke Yunqi hurried back to the River Bureau Office.

The men with him had ashen faces and heavy steps.

Soon, a low roar of suppressed rage could be heard from Ke Yunqi’s room.

Old Li whispered in Chen Qing’s ear, “It’s been years… this is the first time I’ve ever seen the Chief River Envoy this furious…”

Chen Qing silently glanced at the closed door.

’Is this overwhelming anger because the Captain was attacked, or is there another reason?’

Before long, Cheng Ming dragged his exhausted body out of the room, his expression grave. “Let’s talk outside.”

Chen Qing and Old Li followed close behind.

“The Captain is gravely injured and unconscious. It’s uncertain if he’ll live or die. He’s been escorted back to the main barracks.”

Cheng Ming heaved a heavy sigh, his tone weary and resentful. “The Chief River Envoy was just interrogated at length by Vice Captain Lin and is furious… Those County Soldiers, they’re used to throwing their weight around…”

Chen Qing asked, “Boss, are there any leads on the culprits?”

Cheng Ming said grimly, “There were eight assassins. Five were killed on the spot, and three escaped. The entire city is under lockdown, and a search is underway…”

Old Li couldn’t help but click his tongue. “To dare make a move on Captain Pang, this group is no ordinary bunch.”

Cheng Ming’s eyes sharpened as he said in a low voice, “The identified bodies include the first and second bosses of the reed marsh, the chieftain of the Vulture Beach Water Stockade… Two others are still unidentified, and the investigation is ongoing…”

All Water Bandits?!

Chen Qing’s eyes narrowed slightly.

Pang Qinhai had just returned to his post when he wiped out the bandits at Bailang Lake, striking fear into all the marsh gangs.

This joint assassination attempt could very well be an act of desperation.

’But could these Water Bandits, on their own, really have planned such a precise and shocking assassination?’

’Without an inside man to coordinate, it would have been impossible!’

Cheng Ming pondered for a moment, then waved his hand. “You two should head back and get some rest. The Martial Arts Examination is approaching. Patrols must be strengthened these next two days, with no exceptions.”

“Yes, sir!”

Chen Qing and Old Li cupped their fists in acknowledgement and turned to leave.

On his way home, Chen Qing saw that the streets and alleys were teeming with constables. All the major intersections were guarded by County Soldiers, who were rigorously questioning anyone suspicious.

This setup seemed tight, but it was really like finding a needle in a haystack. The hope of finding the real culprits was slim to none.

Chen Qing frowned. ’I hope this doesn’t affect my training.’

’This whole affair is most likely a dirty power struggle between various factions. It’s best to stay far away from it.’

’With my Heaven Rewards Diligence Fate Plate, there’s absolutely no need for me to get involved for some petty gain.’

…

「The next day, at the Zhou Institute.」

The disciples in the courtyard were discussing yesterday’s earth-shattering event.

“Those Water Bandits must have a death wish, daring to assassinate the Captain!”

“I heard the County Yamen’s constables were running around all night and didn’t find a single trace. It’s like the assassins vanished into thin air.”

“The Captain’s injuries are extremely severe. It’s touch and go whether he’ll survive.”

“Sigh, I wonder if the Martial Arts Examination will be delayed because of this…”

Amid the discussions, Luo Qian was silently practicing her Pile Skill alone in a corner.

Zhou Yu and Li Rongrong were talking in low voices, their expressions grave.

Qin Lie, however, sat alone to the side, his face extremely grim. He had no heart for training. ’Is the Captain, that towering tree of support, about to come crashing down?’

“The Master is here…”

Someone whispered, and the disciples in the courtyard immediately reined in their wandering thoughts and pretended to practice their skills.

Zhou Liang emerged from the rear courtyard, his gaze sweeping across the area like lightning. He said in a deep voice, “Qin Lie, Sun Shun, Zhengzi Bridge, Luo Qian, Qi Wenhao, Liu Xiaolou, Chen Qing… you few, stay behind this evening.”

With that, Zhou Liang turned and went back into the rear courtyard.

Everyone in the courtyard knew that their master had something important to discuss.

The first names on the list were all elite disciples of the institute, Dark Force Experts who had at least broken through a second time.

But when the last two words, “Chen Qing,” were spoken, many disciples subconsciously looked at him, their gazes filled with confusion and astonishment.

Sun Shun was the first to react, looking at Chen Qing with pleasant surprise. “Junior Brother Chen, you… you broke through?”

Chen Qing smiled slightly and said frankly, “A stroke of luck. I just managed it a few days ago.”

An uproar erupted!

As soon as he said it, the disciples in the courtyard looked at each other, their eyes filled with disbelief.

In the eyes of most, Chen Qing was just a disciple with mediocre aptitude and a poor family background. Aside from his diligent and bitter training, there was nothing memorable about him.

Many people saw him as the next He Yan.

They expected him to waste a few years at the institute, only to leave in dejection.

Hearing this, Luo Qian was slightly taken aback.

Breaking through once could be chalked up to luck, but a second breakthrough could not be explained away so easily.

This undoubtedly proved that her initial judgment of him had been wrong.

Qin Lie also looked up, a flicker of brief surprise in his eyes.

’This Chen Qing managed a second breakthrough too?’

Suddenly, an idea formed in his mind.

Zhou Yu was stunned for a moment, then her face broke into a smile. She said gently, “Excellent! The institute has another Dark Force Expert. This is truly a joyous occasion.”

Beside her, Li Rongrong stared at Chen Qing, dumbfounded, as if she couldn’t believe her ears.

“Attaboy!”

Sun Shun clapped Chen Qing hard on the shoulder and praised him sincerely. “You kept that well hidden! Congratulations!”

Zhou Yu took a few steps forward and smiled. “Junior Brother Chen, congratulations on your breakthrough.”

“Thank you, Senior Sister.”

Chen Qing cupped his fists in return.

’This Senior Sister is a really good person; she looks out for every disciple.’

When Chen Qing reached the Manifest Force realm, she had even given him a portion of Blood and Qi Powder.

Following that, the other disciples also came forward one by one to offer their congratulations.

Even Zhengzi Bridge, who rarely interacted with Chen Qing, came over with a broad smile. “Junior Brother Chen, congratulations, congratulations!”

Luo Qian glanced over from a distance, her expression still impassive, and continued with her Pile Skill.

’The Luo Family isn’t lacking for experts who’ve broken through twice. He’s not worth me going out of my way to curry favor with.’

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep