Chapter 23: Infiltration

A series of agonized screams echoed through the night. After approximately ten minutes, Chen Luo returned with his iron rod completely soaked in blood. The sight left the Sha Lake Gang members gasping involuntarily, their eyes filled with awe and reverence towards Chen Luo.

What a ruthless individual!

He had slaughtered so many without the slightest hesitation.

Cripple Ma, catching his breath on the steps after narrowly escaping death, watched Chen Luo’s return, admiration flickering in his eyes. Regardless of anything else, Chen Luo was his disciple, employing the Black Tiger Fist technique he himself had taught.

“All of them killed?”

“Not one survived.”

With a flick of his hand, Chen Luo sent the iron rod flying, embedding it diagonally into the ground. Drops of residual blood dripped from it, testifying to the brutality of the battle just fought.

“Well done,” exclaimed one of the skilled fighters from the Sha Lake Gang, unable to contain his praise.

Noticing Chen Luo’s gaze turn towards him, he quickly straightened up and respectfully introduced himself:

“Sha Lake Gang’s Seasand Hall Master, Wang Dajiang, greets you, esteemed master.”

Chen Luo glanced at him briefly before shifting his attention back to Cripple Ma.

“How did this fight start?”

“The imperial court seeks achievements, and we just happen to fit their criteria.” Cripple Ma had regained his breath; despite having a missing leg, he was still formidable against ordinary individuals.

“Fits their criteria?” Chen Luo frowned, gaining yet another insight into the ruthless nature of these soldiers.

“One glance is enough to tell if someone practices martial arts.” Cripple Ma’s gaze upon his disciple, Chen Luo, had fundamentally changed.

He had encountered numerous prodigies, including himself when he was young. However, even among such talents, he had never seen anyone reach the third realm of Bone Tempering within just one month. This transcended mere genius; it raised questions about whether Chen Luo was truly human.

Nevertheless, with years of experience navigating the jianghu, Cripple Ma knew what questions were appropriate and which ones should be avoided. So, he sidestepped any inquiries about Chen Luo’s abilities and instead began explaining the origins of these big-headed soldiers and his own speculations.

“To pull off such a large-scale operation, killing only peasants won’t deceive those above them. They must find martial practitioners to serve as scapegoats.”

Similar to why outsiders sought to eradicate mountain strongholds earlier, these forces aiming to crush gangs here were also looking for scapegoats.

As for why they waited until now, Chen Luo speculated that there must have been some undisclosed deal involved. Initially, these individuals likely exploited the Sha Lake Gang, but when unable to find sufficient scapegoats later on, they decided to eliminate their accomplices once their purpose was served. As local strongholds, the Sha Lake Gang naturally couldn’t sit idly by, leading to the confrontation witnessed earlier.

“What about He Shimei?”

“Those people took Xiao Min with them. They’ve been searching Qingya County’s records for women matching her birth date, and unfortunately, she fits the criteria.” Cripple Ma’s face darkened at this revelation.

Despite his years navigating the jianghu, he found himself unable to protect even one of his disciples.

“Where is she?”

“I am willing to guide this esteemed master.”

Before Cripple Ma could respond, Wang Dajiang, who had been standing silently nearby, eagerly stepped forward. The “He Shimei” mentioned by Chen Luo was none other than his niece. Feeling powerless before, he now saw an opportunity and wanted to contribute.

Chen Luo ignored Wang Dajiang, directing his gaze back to Cripple Ma. To him, everyone from the Sha Lake Gang were strangers, and the only person truly worthy of his trust here was his Master, Cripple Ma.

“He can be trusted,” Cripple Ma acknowledged with a nod, understanding Chen Luo’s concern.

“And the others?”

“Nobody from the imperial court can match you. The strongest among them is a general, a peak Inner Training expert, skilled with a spear.”

“Good.”

After this brief exchange between master and disciple, Chen Luo prepared to rescue their target.

His return was specifically aimed at acquiring more brains similar to those of the ‘Imperial Elite,’ making it inevitable that he would have to kill. He had already collected the brains from the men he defeated earlier, replacing some of the jianghu wanderers’ brains initially gathered at Mass Grave Mound. It proved to be quite fruitful.

Grasping Wang Dajiang’s shoulder firmly, Chen Luo instantly channeled his inner qi into him.

Wang Dajiang felt startled but, before he could react, found himself swiftly whisked away by Chen Luo. Despite weighing over two hundred pounds, he felt as light as a child in Chen Luo’s grip. This display alone left Wang Dajiang deeply impressed.

“It’s past here, on Yang Liu Street to the right,” Wang Dajiang quickly corrected their direction mid-flight.

Chen Luo promptly adjusted course.

“This is it.”

Twenty minutes later, Chen Dahe pointed towards a large courtyard ahead and whispered softly.

“The county yamen?”

Carrying Wang Dajiang, Chen Luo leaped down from the wall, frowning slightly at the building before him.

Compared to ordinary residences, rescuing someone from the county yamen posed significantly more challenges.

Not only was the wall imposingly high, but the guards inside were significantly stronger as well. As soon as Chen Luo landed near the perimeter, he sensed several powerful presences, one of which even posed a threat to him, despite having reached the Bone Tempering Realm. This must be the imperial court’s elite mentioned by his master, Cripple Ma.

Such formidable strength was expected from the imperial court, representing the official power of the state. It wasn’t surprising to find numerous experts here. Qingya County’s remote location likely prevented more skilled individuals from arriving; otherwise, with additional numbers, Chen Luo would have turned back without hesitation, deeming it too risky.

“I watched Xiao Min and He-dage being captured here. Initially, those deceitful officials promised not to harm us Sha Lake Gang members.” A flash of hatred crossed Wang Dajiang’s eyes as he spoke.

The imperial court’s broken promises led to the deaths of many skilled members within the Sha Lake Gang, including some of Wang Dajiang’s own kin.

“Take their words with a grain of salt,” Chen Luo affirmed.

Having confirmed the location, he prepared to enter and eliminate his targets. With so many experts present, the rewards upon defeating them would undoubtedly enhance his abilities further!

“You should leave now; you won’t be able to assist me any further.”

Chen Luo retrieved the iron rod strapped to his back, which he had picked up earlier from another soldier’s corpse. This new rod was cleaner than his previous one, as the old one, tainted by excessive bloodshed, carried a strong odor unsuitable for stealthy kills.

“I’ll wait for you outside.”

Wang Dajiang was not foolish; he knew his limitations.

Ignoring him, Chen Luo took a few steps away from the wall, locating a spot behind it where no signs of life were detected. With a burst of force from his feet, he effortlessly vaulted over.

Witnessing such agile strength filled Wang Dajiang with envy. As merely a Blood Qi Realm martial artist, he had yet to cultivate inner qi. While proficient against ordinary thieves, he felt inadequate in situations like this.

After clearing the wall, Chen Luo found himself in a beautifully landscaped garden.

The garden featured intricate designs, including pebble-paved paths, ornamental ponds with fish and rock formations, culminating at a gazebo. Beside the gazebo stood a bamboo waterwheel, where cascading water from the faux mountain flowed into bamboo tubes, slowly turning the wheel while producing crisp sounds intermittently.

“These bandits sure know their way around. There’s no sign of looting within the Prefectural Governor’s residence,” Chen Luo sneered, gripping the iron rod tighter in his hand.

His earlier suspicion that Qingya County’s magistrate was colluding with these individuals now seemed confirmed.

“First, let’s find someone for directions.”

Chen Luo determined a direction and followed the path deeper into the garden.

Beyond the small garden lay several side rooms. Inside, a few maids were washing clothes for the household. In stark contrast to the hellish scene outside, the governor’s residence felt like another world, completely unaffected by the chaos beyond its walls.