Cultivating in Different Professions

Chapter 147: Chapter 113: Total Annihilation

SWISH!

A glint of cold light shot through the air at an incredible speed. In the blink of an eye, it was already behind the fleeing Fourth Stage Body Tempering cultivator.

Then, as if meeting no resistance, it plunged into the man’s back and pierced straight through his body.

The ferocious power even tore the Fourth Stage Body Tempering bandit’s corpse to shreds.

SPLAT!

As the bloody, torn flesh hit the ground, the Autumn Water Saber also fell, its blade burying itself halfway into the earth. The residual energy made the saber tremble violently with a low hum.

Chen Song was past the point of shock.

Dismembering a Fourth Stage Body Tempering practitioner with a single throw of a blade from dozens of yards away—an unbelievable feat—now seemed entirely plausible to him.

Only because the one who acted was Su Mu!

In his eyes, the Su Mu of this moment was an omnipotent god. Nothing he did could be considered surprising.

"Sir, we have brought you shame."

Chen Song, having recovered a bit of strength, forced himself to his feet. He came before Su Mu and spoke with a look of deep shame.

If Su Mu hadn’t suddenly arrived, he would likely be a corpse by now, and the brothers he had brought with him would have suffered heavy casualties.

"If you were at fault, I would punish you myself."

Su Mu said calmly, "For now, release the men, then clean up the battlefield. Can you do that?"

"Yes!"

Although Chen Song’s body still ached and he felt nearly drained of strength, he would never say no right now.

Besides, Su Mu giving him a task meant he wasn’t truly being blamed. This left him feeling both flattered and moved, like a warrior ready to die for a lord who truly understands him.

Picking up a blade from the ground, Chen Song limped over to the wooden stakes and cut the ropes binding the other constables.

The constables, having survived their ordeal, had no time for joy. They helped each other up and immediately got busy.

Su Mu watched calmly as they gathered all the corpses in the valley and brought the plundered goods before him.

The process was not easy for the injured constables, but after they finished, their emotions had completely stabilized. The terror from before was mostly gone.

Being captured alive, tortured, and nearly beaten to death—if they couldn’t overcome the psychological trauma, they could no longer serve as constables.

After all, constables had to face such dangers regularly.

But after this flurry of activity, they felt as if they had been reborn.

The experience no longer seemed so terrifying.

"Sir, these men must have accomplices. The goods they plundered before have already been moved. This is only the last batch of stolen goods."

Chen Song came before Su Mu to report.

These men had robbed three merchant caravans outside the city. What remained in the valley was only a small portion of the goods; the majority had already been transported away.

"These men, do you recognize any of them?"

Su Mu asked, gesturing to the neatly arranged corpses.

"He looks a little familiar. I think I might have seen him in the Inner City, but I can’t be sure."

Chen Song pointed to the man Su Mu had pinned to the massive rock.

The mask had been removed from the man’s face, revealing someone who looked to be in his twenties. A look of terror from before his death still lingered on his features.

"They were very cautious. There’s nothing on them that could prove their identities."

Chen Song said.

"Is that so?"

Su Mu was noncommittal, calmly picking up a steel saber dropped by one of the bandits.

Chen Song’s gaze fell upon the steel saber, and he had a sudden realization.

"It’s a standard-issue steel saber from the City Defense Army!"

Chen Song said, "All the weapons they used are standard-issue from the City Defense Army! Are they men from the City Defense Army in disguise?"

His face was a mask of shock and anger.

"Just because they use City Defense Army weapons doesn’t necessarily mean they are from the City Defense Army."

Su Mu shook his head. Although these men were well-trained, their demeanor was completely different from that of soldiers.

Su Mu had spent some time with Zheng Tu and other members of the City Defense Army, so he was very familiar with their particular bearing.

"Besides the City Defense Army, there’s one other place that could easily obtain their standard-issue weapons."

Su Mu said slowly.

"The Inner City, the Refining Bureau!"

Chen Song said, "I understand! The Refining Bureau is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Works. The Chief of the Ministry of Works is Hu Gongxiu, Patriarch of the Inner City Hu Family. These men are—"

Chen Song didn’t dare continue.

To say more would be treading on sensitive ground.

Chen Song also knew that his superior had a grudge with the Inner City Hu Family.

But he couldn’t figure out why one of the four great families of the Inner City would stoop to such a shameless act—sending men to pose as bandits and plunder merchant caravans.

If it was all to make trouble for his superior, that didn’t make sense either.

Even if his superior failed to solve this case, it wouldn’t have had much of an impact on him.

He thought for a while but couldn’t make sense of it at all.

"Sir, is it really the Hu Family?"

he asked in a low voice.

"Whether it is or isn’t, does it matter?"

Su Mu said calmly, "The Hu Family will never admit it. And with just this, it would be very difficult to make them confess."

By "this," he was of course referring to the corpses on the ground.

Even if some of these men were from the Hu Family, the family would have ten thousand excuses to absolve themselves.

"Take all the bodies back."

Su Mu stood up and said coolly, "They can’t die for nothing. We must extract some remaining value from them.

Hang them before the city gate to serve as a warning to others.

As for the weapons they left behind, send them to the Hu Family. Say the East City Bureau killed a group of bandits who stole weapons from the Refining Bureau and are now returning the property to its rightful owner."

"Yes, Sir."

Chen Song bowed.

He had almost died here. Since the masks were now off with the Hu Family, he, Chen Song, had nothing left to fear.

He was a man of the Luo Family, after all. He wasn’t afraid of offending the Hu Family.

* * *

Hu Gongxiu stared expressionlessly at the dozens of blades before him.

Ever since the East City Bureau had someone deliver these weapons, he had not spoken a single word all day.

The butler watched from the side, scared into silence, not even daring to breathe too loudly.

When was the last time the Master had been like this?

Was it more than thirty years ago, when the Master failed to be selected for the Taiping Bureau?

He had served Hu Gongxiu for decades and knew very well that the man’s anger had reached its peak. He was like a volcano on the verge of erupting.

"Master, Young Master Mao’s body is hanging from the East City Gate. Should this old servant send someone to bring him back?"

As night began to fall, the butler couldn’t help but ask in a small voice.

"Bring him back? And tell everyone that the Hu Family was responsible for plundering the Outer City merchant caravans?"

Hu Gongxiu finally spoke. "Tell the family that no one is to go," he said coldly. "Anyone who does will be immediately struck from the family register and expelled from the Hu Family.

That person merely bears a slight resemblance to Guangmao. He is not Hu Guangmao. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Master."

the butler said hastily.

Hu Gongxiu’s face was grim. ’When did it start, this endless string of humiliations? Now I have to let my wrongly-killed nephew’s corpse be exposed for all to see, for anyone to insult!’

’It all seems to have started when that... Su Mu... first appeared. And everything seems to be connected to him.’

’A little bottom-feeder, and he’s unknowingly caused the Hu Family so much trouble!’

’If only I’d killed him right when he first showed his face. A moment of carelessness, and I’ve allowed him to become a minor threat!’

Hu Gongxiu looked out beyond the hall. A pitch-black night enveloped the Hu Mansion, making the entire estate seem like a slumbering beast.

Now, this beast was about to bare its fangs and claws.

"It’s not too late. It’s still not too late."

Hu Gongxiu muttered to himself, "He hasn’t gone through Blood Exchange yet, nor has he become a Taiping Captain. And neither has that girl from the Luo Family.

No matter how much of a genius he is, a dead genius is just dead.

Once they’re dead, who in Wuling City’s younger generation can still compete with my son?

Su Mu, your mistake was revealing yourself before me too soon. You think you’ve won, but in truth, you can’t win.

You know nothing of the Hu Family’s power, but I already know yours like the back of my hand.

This time, I will make sure you die without a place for burial!"

An intense killing intent erupted from Hu Gongxiu’s eyes, sending a shiver down the spine of the butler standing not far away.

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