My Martial Dao Has No Bottlenecks

Li Mu kicked him. "I’m not going to kill you. Answer honestly. Do you know them?"

"I know them. They’re Personal Guards from the Guardian Station who were monitoring the mining pits. I’ve had contact with them."

"Did you notice anything unusual when you saw them, then?"

"Well..."

Liu Da’s eyes darted away. Liang Cheng flicked his finger, and a wisp of cold qi shot past Liu Da’s ear, slicing off a lock of his hair.

"I’ll talk! I’ll talk!"

Liu Da immediately cried out, "Steward Lin Fu looked for them earlier! But as for what they said, I have no idea!"

’A Steward from the Lin Family... Lin Fu?’

"Zhao Yuan," Liang Cheng said, turning around. "Gather some men and come with me to bring Lin Fu in."

"Yes, sir!"

...

「The Lin Family Estate.」

"Town Guardian Liang!"

Lin Chong hurried over. After Lin Yue’s test last night, his wariness of Liang Cheng had only deepened. "I wasn’t aware you would be gracing us with your presence, Town Guardian. To what do we owe the visit?"

Liang Cheng’s tone was placid.

"Lin Fu is a suspect in a murder case. I’m taking him in for interrogation."

"Might this be a misunderstanding? Lin Fu has always been loyal and honest. He doesn’t handle outside matters, only the Lin Family’s internal affairs. How could he possibly be involved in a murder case?"

"Young Master Lin, three Personal Guards from the Guardian Station are dead, and Lin Fu was very likely the last person to have contact with them. As Town Guardian, I am apprehending him in accordance with the law. Is there anything improper about that?"

"Do you have any proof, Town Guardian?"

Liang Cheng stared at him. "If Young Master Lin feels an injustice has been done, you might as well come to the Guardian Station with us and hear Lin Fu’s explanation for yourself. Your father should have told you: as long as I am the Town Guardian, I make the rules—at least, the official ones."

Lin Chong was rendered speechless.

Saying no more, Liang Cheng left with Lin Fu in custody.

As he walked out of the Lin Family’s main gate, he glanced back. At some point, Lin Yue had appeared at a tower window. Their eyes met. Lin Yue’s face was expressionless.

...

「The Guardian Station Dungeons.」

Liang Cheng pulled over a chair and sat across from Lin Fu, placing his Token on the low table between them.

"Why did you kill my Personal Guards?"

Bound by iron chains, Lin Fu trembled uncontrollably. "Town Guardian, I’m innocent! I wouldn’t dare harm the Guardian Station’s Personal Guards, not even if I had ten times the nerve!"

"Then what did you say to them at the mining pit yesterday, around 3:00 PM?"

Liang Cheng’s gaze was sharp as a knife, fixed tightly on Lin Fu.

Lin Fu’s eyes darted about. "We didn’t say anything important... We just happened to run into each other and exchanged a few pleasantries..."

"Pleasantries? The only common activity those three shared yesterday was meeting with you. They were dead by that night. Lin Fu, do you take me for a fool, or do you really think the Lin Family can save you?"

Lin Fu’s face went white as a sheet, his lips trembling. Suddenly, a commotion erupted outside, and Zhao Yuan burst in.

"Senior Brother, a fire has broken out at the mines!"

...

"A fire has broken out at the mines!"

Zhao Yuan’s voice was frantic. A dangerous glint flashed in Liang Cheng’s eyes.

"Zhao Yuan!"

"Here!"

"Take thirty Personal Guards to the mines at once. Put out the fire, secure the area, and allow no one near the entrance to Pit Number Three. Investigate the cause of the fire. If anyone interferes, apprehend them on the spot!"

"Yes, sir!"

Zhao Yuan turned and bolted out the door.

"Li Mu, take the remaining Personal Guards and lock down the Guardian Station, especially the dungeons. Without my explicit order, no one is to get near Lin Fu."

"Understood!"

Li Mu gave a solemn nod, his hand on the hilt of his blade as he departed.

Finally, Liang Cheng turned to Chen Ping, who had been standing silently in the corner. "Captain Chen."

Chen Ping cupped his fist. "Your orders, Town Guardian."

"I’ll have to trouble you to lead your skilled men from the Martial Preparation Hall and immediately lock down the three streets surrounding the Guardian Station. Let people in, but no one out."

"I suspect this fire is a diversion, a way to lure the tiger from the mountain. There must be accomplices planning to fish in troubled waters. The moment something happens, send a signal."

A flicker of understanding crossed Chen Ping’s eyes. In a low voice, he said, "A thorough plan, Town Guardian. I’ll see to it at once."

Upon receiving his orders, Chen Ping swiftly divided his nine men into three teams. Each team guarded a street entrance, setting up makeshift barricades with swift, efficient movements that marked him as a military veteran.

Only Liang Cheng and Lin Fu remained in the dungeon. Liang Cheng took two steps forward to look down at him. Lin Fu was still trembling. Without a word, Liang Cheng turned and left.

Lin Fu slumped against the torture rack, his face as white as a sheet.

...

Outside the Guardian Station, chaos reigned.

In the distance, toward the mines, black smoke billowed and flames lit up the heavens. The sounds of shouting and running feet were carried on the wind. Miners’ families ran through the streets in a panic, children wailed—it was a picture of the world coming to an end.

Liang Cheng mounted the stone steps in front of the Guardian Station, gathered his True Qi, and projected his voice halfway down the street:

"Everyone, listen! I have sent men to control the fire! All uninvolved parties are to return home at once and stay behind closed doors! Anyone found running about and spreading rumors will be executed on the spot!"

His voice was as steady as iron, carrying the unique authority of the True Qi Realm. It instantly quelled most of the clamor. Several of the panicked miners froze in their tracks.

"It’s Town Guardian Liang..."

"He said they’ll get it under control..."

The crowd began to settle. Over the past half-month, Liang Cheng had already established a measure of authority, and the people were now willing to give him the benefit of the doubt, however uncertain.

Liang Cheng turned to the two Personal Guards who had remained. "Beat your gongs, patrol the streets, and announce that every household is to prepare water and stay by their doors. Tell them not to gather in groups."

"Yes, sir!"

Only then did Liang Cheng leap into action. He activated the Wandering Dragon Step, soaring onto a rooftop and speeding toward the mines.

The thickest smoke was indeed coming from the direction of Pit Number Three and the adjacent storage area. But what made his heart sink was that the fire wasn’t starting from a single point—flames were erupting from at least three or four different places at once!

’This was no accident.’

...

「The Mines.」

Zhao Yuan had already arrived with his men. The Guardian Station’s Personal Guards were organizing the miners to fight the fire, but the blaze was immense. The adjacent warehouse was piled high with dry timber for support beams and a small amount of lamp oil; once it caught, the fire became nearly impossible to contain.

"Senior Brother Zhao!"

A Steward Disciple from the Martial Arts Academy, his face covered in soot, ran over. "The fire is worst at the entrance to Pit Number Three! We can’t get close! There are people inside throwing burning pieces of wood out!"

"What?"

Zhao Yuan’s heart went cold. He looked and saw it was true—at the entrance to Pit Number Three, the one Liang Cheng had ordered sealed, flames billowed out. Faint silhouettes flickered behind the curtain of fire.

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