Disappearance, Sky Patrol Guard, Li Family

Seeing the astonishing power of the True Martial Palm driven by inner strength, Zhang Chu felt a little safer.

Now that his methods had finally caught up somewhat, all he lacked was more Merit Points. Then he could fully master the palm technique!

The True Martial Palm had three layers in total. He had yet to strengthen the Second Layer, so he only knew the first move, "Demon-Sweeping."

[Zhang Chu]

[Realm: First-rate]

[Martial Arts: True Martial Palm (Second Layer), Yellow Court Inner Strength (Fourth Layer), both can be further strengthened]

[Merit Points: 100]

[Prompt: Insufficient Merit Points!]

Sure enough, with only a hundred Merit Points left, he no longer had enough to continue strengthening any martial art.

"Looks like I need to find a way to obtain Merit Points as soon as possible. I wonder what kind of people have the most merit?"

Just then, hurried footsteps came from the direction of the temple entrance, and someone rushed into the martial arts yard.

Zhang Chu looked up and saw Senior Brother Li Minghuai, dressed in a Patrol Guard uniform, hurrying over to him.

Seeing Zhang Chu still practicing martial arts, Li Minghuai anxiously asked, "Second Junior Disciple Brother, didn't I tell you not to act impulsively? How could you dare go suppress bandits alone?!"

"Those bandits have been entrenched along the county roads for ages. How could they be so easily wiped out? Were you hurt anywhere?"

As Li Minghuai spoke, he began feeling Zhang Chu over from head to toe, as though searching for injuries.

Ever since the Old Temple Master had died violently in the northern desert, Li Minghuai, as the Senior Brother, had shouldered the entire temple.

Unfortunately, his strength was limited, and he simply could not attract incense offerings. He had no choice but to become a temporary Patrol Guard as well.

When he heard today that his Second Junior Disciple Brother had gone to suppress bandits alone, Li Minghuai had rushed back to the temple in panic.

Seeing what his Senior Brother was doing, Zhang Chu smiled and reassured him. "Senior Brother, I'm fine. Don't worry."

"You're still laughing? Of the three of us brothers, you're the most restless. Are you really not hurt anywhere?"

"I'm really fine. They were only a few petty thieves. I dealt with them and came straight back. By the way, where's Junior Brother?"

Zhang Chu did not mention the assassination. First, there was no point in saying it; second, he was afraid of dragging his Senior Brother into it.

Seeing that Zhang Chu truly was unharmed, Li Minghuai let out a breath of relief, though he still did not forget to give him another warning.

Then he sighed. "Sigh, neither of you makes me worry any less. Wang Yuan went to the docks yesterday to investigate a Missing Persons Case, but he still hasn't returned."

"By all rights, he should have been back long ago from such a common disappearance case. Linjiang County has an extensive river network, after all. Every year, people get swept away by floodwaters."

"A disappearance case? He didn't come back all night?" Upon hearing this, Zhang Chu instinctively furrowed his brow.

His Senior Brother was right. In a county like Linjiang County, with so many rivers, it was perfectly normal for someone to fall into the water and vanish.

How could an investigation drag on through an entire night without him returning?

"Come on, Senior Brother. Let's go ask at the County Yamen."

They were temporary Patrol Guards in the county, which, bluntly put, meant they did jobs for money. The County Yamen definitely knew the inside story.

"Alright! If I hadn't heard you'd gone off to suppress bandits, I was about to head to the County Yamen to ask about it myself. Since you're fine, let's go inquire together."

He and Senior Brother Li Minghuai immediately saw eye to eye.

Zhang Chu returned to his room and packed his things.

The two hurried toward the Linjiang County Yamen.

The Linjiang County Yamen was located in the south of the city. Yamen runners carrying blades patrolled to either side of its entrance all year round.

"Little Daoist masters, what brings you here?" The yamen runner at the entrance asked in surprise when he saw Zhang Chu and Li Minghuai.

Though Zhang Chu and Li Minghuai were Patrol Guards,

they were only temporary ones.

They were responsible only for cases related to the Jianghu.

They were not Imperial Court officials drawing a salary.

That was why the yamen runner was somewhat surprised to see them.

"Constable Zhang, we came to ask about my Junior Brother Wang Yuan," Zhang Chu said without beating around the bush.

The yamen runner was named Zhang He, a constable in the county. When the Old Temple Master had still been alive, the man had gone up the mountain every year to burn incense.

Over time, Zhang Chu had come to know him.

At Zhang He's words, his expression changed slightly. "To be honest, I shouldn't be telling you this!"

"What happened?" Zhang Chu frowned. The change in the other man's face made him realize that something had most likely happened to Junior Brother Wang Yuan.

Zhang He glanced around, then led Zhang Chu and Li Minghuai into an alley around the back of the street.

Only once no one was nearby did Zhang He speak. "You two may not know this, but lately, something evil seems to have taken hold of the docks in the north of the city. Strong young men have been disappearing constantly."

"The County Yamen investigated many times without results, so it could only ask temporary Patrol Guards like you to investigate. But unexpectedly, even the people the County Yamen hired at great expense disappeared one after another."

"After it happened, the County Magistrate feared it would cause panic and forbade anyone from revealing it to the public, so..."

Zhang He revealed the County Yamen's internal secret, and Zhang Chu and Li Minghuai's hearts both sank.

Even temporary Patrol Guards had vanished with them. The weakest people who could make a living in this line of work were all at the Third-rate Realm!

Could there really be some evil entity at the northern docks?

"You two needn't worry too much. After this happened, the County Magistrate already reported it to the Prefecture City. The Prefecture City will probably soon send the Sky Patrol Guard down to investigate."

Zhang He revealed some of the County Yamen's arrangements.

"Sky Patrol Guard?" Zhang Chu murmured.

He had heard of this organization.

It was a department specially established by the Imperial Court to deal with difficult incidents. Its members all came from Jianghu sects, and even the weakest were in the First-rate Realm.

He had not expected a single disappearance case to draw the Sky Patrol Guard here.

"Alright, thank you for telling us, Constable Zhang." Zhang Chu clasped his hands in thanks. This information had come at exactly the right time.

Then he left the County Yamen with his Senior Brother.

As they walked back, Senior Brother Li Minghuai spoke. "Junior Brother, what do you think about this?"

"What is there to think? The northern docks are Steward Li's property. We can just go ask him directly."

"But I've heard the Li Family has ties to the Boat Gang. Even the County Yamen's people do not dare investigate them lightly. Now that master is no longer here to hold the fort, if you and I go there rashly, will they tell us anything?"

The Li Family specialized in dock businesses in Linjiang and had built it into something enormous. They kept a group of burly men as thugs under their command.

It was said that the Boat Gang on the river stood behind them.

Even the County Yamen did not dare slight them.

"Don't worry, Senior Brother. I have my own way."

After speaking, Zhang Chu took the lead toward the Li Family in the north of the city.

He feared that if he delayed any longer,

Junior Brother Wang Yuan would be turned into meat buns.

Half an hour later, the two arrived outside the Li Mansion. It was midday, and the gatekeeper, sword in hand, lounged lazily in a chair, looking disdainfully at passersby.

"Who goes there? Do not approach if you have no business."

Sensing Zhang Chu and the other man heading straight for the gate, the armed gatekeeper did not even lift his eyelids as he waved them away.

"We are temporary Patrol Guards of the county. We have important matters to ask Steward Li about. Please report us."

Li Minghuai was the first to state their purpose.

Yet upon hearing this, the gatekeeper not only did not move, but burst into laughter before lifting his head.

"County Patrol Guards? Temporary ones at that."

"Get lost, get lost, get lost. The master has no time for the likes of you."

The gatekeeper's words left Li Minghuai ashamed and furious. When master had been alive, when had he ever suffered such humiliation?

Just as he was about to rebuke him,

Zhang Chu stepped forward.

"What? Are you looking to die? With the likes of you, you think you can see the master? Get the hell out of here."

"Don't say I didn't warn you. Even if the Li Family beats a few mud-legged people to death, no one would dare say a word!"

Seeing this, the gatekeeper at the entrance drew his steel blade with a shing. Its gleaming surface reflected a fierce, vicious face.

Yet before he could even rise,

a foot had already stamped itself across his face.

BOOM!!

The gatekeeper's body shot out like a cannonball from the barrel, crashing with a thunderous boom into the Li Mansion's bronze-cast, lacquer-carved gates.

Red and white matter streamed down without end!