Black Blood

Tap, tap, tap.

In the dilapidated alley, the sound of cracking tiles rang out without end, punctuated now and then by furious barking.

Jiang Hui's movements had been exceptionally clean and swift, but after drinking and suffering grave injuries, his pace had visibly slowed.

Chen Qing's gaze was icy, his steps light as he quickly caught up.

Jiang Hui knew he could not shake the person behind him, and his heart hardened with the resolve to fight to the death.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

The instant he vaulted over a low wall, Jiang Hui suddenly flung out a spray of black glints behind him.

The Poisoned Flying Needles, concealed by the night, shot straight for Chen Qing's face.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Prepared for it, Chen Qing spun his saber into a shield. Three poisoned needles struck the blade, buzzing as they trembled.

He tapped off the ground and soared into the air, the bloodstained hem of his robes fluttering beneath the moon like a bat. Tongbei Fist's Mountain Collapse Style had already crashed down from above!

Jiang Hui felt as though his organs had exploded. His body flew backward, rolled twice across the ground, and spat out a gushing arrow of blood.

Naturally, Chen Qing would not let such an opportunity slip away. Saber in hand, he strode forward.

"D-Don't kill me."

Chen Qing's blade reflected Jiang Hui's deathly pale face. The Blackwater Gang leader was now like a dying dog, his fingers clawing ten bloody marks into the stone slabs.

Chen Qing did not hesitate. He slashed straight at Jiang Hui's neck.

Splat!

Jiang Hui's eyes widened. He instinctively reached for his neck, and under the moonlight, that horrifying crimson could be clearly seen.

Thud!

Jiang Hui fell unwillingly, his breath extinguished and his life gone.

"Phew."

Chen Qing flicked the beads of blood from his saber and efficiently gathered his spoils: a money pouch, a Jade Pendant, a hidden-weapons pouch. Only after confirming that nothing had been missed did his figure quietly vanish into the night.

After returning home, Chen Qing did not hesitate. He directly burned the clothes on his body, then jumped into the river and washed himself.

"This was far more perilous than last time. The peak of Bright Strength truly is troublesome."

Especially when facing a seasoned and vicious expert like Jiang Hui, he could not afford even the slightest lapse.

After bathing, Chen Qing let out a long breath, steadied himself, and began taking stock of tonight's gains.

Silver ingots rolled across the tabletop with crisp clinks.

He lightly sorted through the loose silver. A rough count revealed more than fifty taels.

Chen Qing's heart stirred slightly. "This silver will be enough to last until the Martial Arts Examination begins."

Though gang members could not be called enormously wealthy, they still had modest savings.

For an instant, the thought of targeting small gangs flashed through his mind—but Chen Qing swiftly suppressed the impulse.

Though these gang lackeys were not immensely rich, every last one of them was a fat sheep.

But shallow ponds had more turtles than fish. Who knew which inconspicuous branch hall hid a tough nut capable of taking his life? Not to mention those tangled webs of influence—one careless move could bring disaster crashing down upon him.

"If I can avoid making a move, then I will absolutely not make one."

Chen Qing stored the silver in a hidden compartment and slowly closed his eyes.

The next day, Captain He stepped into the Blackwater Gang.

Corpses. Corpses everywhere. They lay scattered in every direction, each in a different state.

Captain He's gaze turned toward the distance. Jiang Hui's face was half-buried in a pool of blood, and the one exposed eye had frozen with incredulous shock and bewilderment.

"Bastards! Utter lawlessness!!" Captain He's voice suddenly rose. His bloodshot eyes swept over the pale-faced yamen runners behind him. "Open your damned eyes! Seal it off! Seal every exit immediately! Don't let even a fly escape! Search! Search inch by inch! Even if you have to dig three feet into the ground, drag out these lawless fiends!"

His arm slashed through the air, stirring a violent gust. "They dared slaughter an entire gang right under my nose. This is a slap in my face! A slap in the face of the government's iron laws!"

He clenched his fists so tightly that his nails dug deep into his palms.

The yamen runners were cowed by his sudden fury and hurriedly voiced their assent.

It was only a small gang. Replacing one batch every few days was perfectly normal.

They did not know why their Boss was so furious today.

He Kai's fury had reached its limit. That was his money tree! His most stable and bountiful source of income in this area.

And now it had been uprooted completely, slaughtered to the last.

This was not merely the killing of a few dogs under his protection. It had overturned He Kai's treasure bowl.

A cold light rose in He Kai's heart. If I find the killer, I'll skin him alive.

In the early morning, golden sunlight filtered through the branches and leaves of the Old Scholar Tree, casting mottled patches of light and shadow across the Chen Family courtyard.

Old Master Chen sat upon the bluestone steps, the embers in his pipe glowing and dimming.

Chen Jinhua leaned against the doorframe, her face as pale as paper, the two dark circles beneath her eyes especially glaring.

She had not closed her eyes once all night.

"Why hasn't Xiao Heng come back yet?" Her voice was hoarse, her fingers unconsciously twisting the corner of her clothes until the fabric was nearly mangled.

Second Aunt forced a smile beside her. "Eldest Aunt, don't worry. Xiao Heng must be thinking of a way to mediate."

As she spoke, she handed over a bowl of hot tea, but more than half the tea spilled because her hand was trembling.

"Alas!" Yang Tiezhu let out a heavy sigh.

Chen Jinhua suddenly seized her husband's sleeve, her nails nearly digging into his flesh. "Husband, how about... how about we run tonight?"

"Run? Where could we run?"

Yang Tiezhu gave a bitter smile. "Do you think those people are harmless? There must be someone watching the mouth of the alley right now."

Chen Jinhua shuddered from head to toe, tears filling her eyes.

Just then, the courtyard gate was slammed open with a bang.

Chen Wen staggered in, his face white as if he had seen a ghost.

"Father! Elder Sister!" he gasped, unable to catch his breath. "S-Something huge has happened!"

Old Master Chen frowned slightly. "What are you panicking for? Speak slowly!"

"The B-Blackwater Gang..." Chen Wen swallowed. "They're all dead! Not one was left alive!"

"What?!" The tea bowl in Second Aunt's hand shattered on the ground.

Chen Jinhua abruptly rose to her feet, only for her legs to give out and send her collapsing back down.

Yang Tiezhu's eyes widened, as though he had only heard half of it correctly.

Old Master Chen grabbed Chen Wen's arm. "Explain clearly!"

"I just saw constables and a coroner from the County Yamen rushing toward Baihua Lane."

Chen Wen wiped away his sweat. "I asked Wang Er and found out that the Blackwater Gang was bathed in blood last night. The killer was extremely vicious and ruthless—not one was spared. Even Gang Leader Jiang Hui died."

"That's wonderful!"

Hearing this, Chen Jinhua immediately wept tears of joy.

Yang Tiezhu was also overjoyed, as though the sword hanging over his heart had finally fallen heavily to the ground.

But Old Master Chen narrowed his eyes. "Xiao Heng was gone all night, and then the Blackwater Gang was wiped out..."

Chen Wen's Adam's apple bobbed. "Could it have been Xiao Heng...?"

Creak!

The courtyard gate was pushed open again.

Chen Heng poked his head in furtively. Seeing everyone in the courtyard staring at him in unison, he froze on the spot.

I'm finished!

"G-Grandfather."

Chen Heng stammered, "Y-You're all up so early?"

Second Aunt rushed forward in a single stride. "Did you do what happened to the Blackwater Gang?"

Chen Heng looked utterly bewildered. "What happened to the Blackwater Gang?"

"Shut up!"

Old Master Chen barked sharply. He quickly shut the courtyard gate and slid the bolt into place, then turned and stared fixedly at Chen Heng. His voice dropped extremely low. "Tell Grandfather the truth. The Blackwater Gang was slaughtered to the last man. Was it you?"

Chen Heng's mind boomed.

The Blackwater Gang had been destroyed?

How could he possibly have that ability?

But seeing the expectant looks in his family's eyes, he somehow straightened his back. "I... I did look for Senior Brother Lin."

The moment the words left his mouth, Chen Jinhua rushed over, hugged him, and cried out, "Xiao Heng! You saved Huiniang's life!"

He did not dare claim a murder case for himself.

Everyone present exchanged looks.

They had not expected Chen Heng's senior brother to be so ruthless.

With tears and snot streaming down her face, Chen Jinhua said, "Xiao Heng, thank you so much this time. If not for you, Huiniang's life would have been ruined."

Yang Tiezhu's face was also full of gratitude. "We owe it all to Xiao Heng this time."

Second Aunt was so pleased that her brows nearly flew off her face, and she tugged Second Uncle's sleeve, shaking it hard.

Old Master Chen was also deeply gratified, for the first time showing a hint of pride.

Warmth rose in Chen Heng's heart. He casually waved a hand, pretending to be relaxed. "Eldest Aunt, it was only a small effort."

While wiping her tears, Chen Jinhua said, "Eldest Aunt never knew you were so capable!"

"Listen up."

Suddenly, Old Master Chen's face darkened. "This matter must rot in your stomachs. No one is allowed to speak of it outside."

The following afternoon.

Chen Heng was still immersed in his family's grateful admiration for his "abilities." Not long after leaving Guangchang Martial Arts School, he was blocked by two stern-faced yamen runners.

"Chen Heng?"

The lead yamen runner's eyes were like a hawk's as he swept his gaze over him.

"That's me. What do you need, officer?"

Chen Heng's heart skipped a beat, but he forced himself to remain calm.

"Come with us. Captain He has something to ask you."

The yamen runner's tone allowed no refusal. He and the other man immediately clamped down on Chen Heng's arms from either side.

Chen Heng's face instantly turned white. Struggling, he said, "Officer, I... what crime have I committed? I'm a disciple of Guangchang Martial Arts School..."

"Cut the crap! You'll know when you get there!"

The yamen runners tightened their grips. Chen Heng did not dare resist at all.

Before long, the two brought him to the Interrogation Room.

In a secluded Interrogation Room behind the County Yamen, the light was dim, and the air reeked of blood and mildew.

He Kai stood with his back to the door, leisurely wiping an ox-tail saber with a piece of white cloth. In the dim light, the blade gleamed with a cold, ghostly Cold Light.

"Captain, we brought him."

The yamen runner shoved Chen Heng forward.

Chen Heng staggered several steps and nearly fell. Raising his head, he met He Kai's face as it slowly turned toward him.

There was no expression on that face. His eyes were nailed to Chen Heng, cold and cruel, carrying undisguised scrutiny.

"C-Captain He?"

Chen Heng's voice trembled, and his calves began shaking uncontrollably.

"Chen Heng."

He Kai's voice was low and hoarse. "Baihua Lane. The Blackwater Gang. It was slaughtered clean last night. You know about this, don't you?"

Boom!

Chen Heng's mind went blank. Instinctively, he wanted to deny it, but his lips trembled and he could not force out a single word.

"Speak!"

He Kai slammed a hand onto the wooden table beside him. The torture instruments on it clattered, and Chen Heng's soul nearly fled his body.

"I... I... I don't know, Captain!"

Chen Heng practically cried out, "The Blackwater Gang... they... they bullied my Eldest Aunt's family. I... I only wanted to find someone to plead for them..."

"Plead for them?"

He Kai sneered and slowly closed in, every step seeming to tread on Chen Heng's heart. "Who did you find? Lin Chong of Guangchang Martial Arts School? Did you spend twenty taels in 'tea money'?"

Chen Heng's entire body stiffened.

"And then?"

He Kai leaned close to his ear. "Then your Senior Brother Lin displayed his mighty power and wiped out the entire Blackwater Gang for you? Hmm?"

"No! That's not it!"

Chen Heng was scared out of his wits. He shook his head desperately. "Senior Brother Lin... he only agreed to ask around. He never agreed to take action! Really! I don't know who did it either! I... I couldn't come up with twenty taels yesterday, so I never even got to see Senior Brother Lin! I... I hid outside all night! Captain, please investigate this clearly!"

"Investigate clearly?"

The viciousness in He Kai's eyes surged. "Do you take me for a fool? You had someone inquire about the Blackwater Gang one moment, and the next they were uprooted completely! You call that a coincidence?!"

Before his words had even faded, He Kai suddenly raised his foot and delivered a powerful front kick straight into Chen Heng's chest!

Pfft!

Chen Heng was like a man struck by a heavy hammer. With a scream, he flew backward and crashed hard into the icy stone wall. Sweetness filled his throat, and he sprayed out a mouthful of blood.

He had not even seen how the other man had attacked.

A furious strike from a Hidden Strength expert was not something a martial arts school disciple who had only just touched the threshold of Bright Strength could withstand.

"Trash!" He Kai spat, his face filled with contempt and fury.

As he looked at Chen Heng, a thread of doubt arose in his heart.

This kid was trembling like an autumn leaf in the wind. He could not even take a single move from him. His Aura was unstable, his steps floated lightly—he was merely a fledgling who had just touched the threshold of Bright Strength. Forget killing Jiang Hui; even the other two Blackwater Gang leaders could have dealt with him.

He Kai reached a conclusion: this trash was not the killer. He was not even qualified to be the killer.

Then who was the real killer?

Lin Chong? Had he taken money and handled the matter? But for a mere twenty taels, was it worth wiping out a gang guarded by three Bright Strength experts, one that might even be entangled with other forces behind the scenes?

The elite disciples of Guangchang Martial Arts School weren't that stupid.

Other enemies? The Blackwater Gang had only just been established—what deep-seated hatred could they possibly have?

Or perhaps some expert had done it on a whim?

Never mind whether he could investigate it; even if he found the culprit, anyone who dared do this might not fear a mere County Yamen constable like him.

What if they were a fierce dragon crossing the river, or... simply the "cleaner" of some great figure in the Inner City?

This uniform of his was worth less than a fart before true experts or powerful nobles!

If he kept digging, he might not only bring fire upon himself and expose his filthy dealings with the Blackwater Gang, but also provoke someone he had no business provoking.

Was he supposed to stake his future—or even his life—on a dead Jiang Hui and a pack of lackeys?

He Kai had calculated that account crystal clear in an instant.

The grip of the hand clutching Chen Heng's hair unconsciously loosened somewhat.

The brutality in his eyes ebbed away like the tide, leaving only calculation behind.

This piece of trash was, after all, a disciple of Guangchang Martial Arts School.

Guangchang Martial Arts School was deeply rooted in Gaolin County, and its headmaster was even a favored guest of certain great figures in the Inner City.

"Hmph!"

He Kai flung Chen Heng's head aside as though throwing away a filthy rag.

Chen Heng's head slammed heavily against the floor. His vision went black, and he nearly passed out.

"I'll assume you wouldn't dare violate the law."

He paused, and a trace of warning entered his casual tone.

"As for the Blackwater Gang, the authorities will investigate it themselves. Trash like you should crawl back to your martial arts school and practice your fists properly. Stop stirring up trouble outside, and don't... try to be clever and gild your own face. If this constable finds out you've gotten mixed up in matters you shouldn't be involved in again..."

He Kai did not finish. He merely gave a cold "Hmph."

"Get lost!"

That single word was like a pardon.

The two yamen runners beside them immediately understood. They stepped forward, roughly hauled up the limp-as-mud Chen Heng, dragged him out of the cold Interrogation Room like a dead dog, and tossed him directly onto the icy stone steps outside the County Yamen's back gate.