Assassination

Beside the small noodle stall, steam rose from the soup pot, mingling with the gentle breeze.

"How much does the Hu family sponsor you each month?" Xu Liqing asked casually, her gaze falling warmly on Cui Hao.

"Three taels," Cui Hao replied frankly.

"Indeed, not much," Zhou Hua murmured beside them, shaking her head with a hint of pity. "It's barely enough to buy two packs of the most common Qi and Blood Powder. For someone at the minor accomplishment stage of Mortal Martial wanting to improve, this funding is like a drop in the ocean, just enough to get by."

Cui Hao picked up his coarse ceramic bowl and took a sip of the noodle soup. He smiled, his tone calm yet assured. "With my current strength and performance, it's already a pleasant surprise that someone is willing to sponsor me three taels of silver monthly without expecting anything in return."

"There's a good opportunity now, the winds are changing in the city," Xu Liqing put down her chopsticks, lowering her voice slightly as a warning. "Junior Brother Cui, have you been paying attention lately? Not only is the City Guard expanding its recruitment, but even the Patrol Division and Thief-Catching Office, which previously had extremely high requirements, have lowered their standards and are actively recruiting skilled individuals from the Mortal Martial Realm."

The faint unease in Cui Hao's heart was stirred. He followed up, "Senior Sister, do you know why? The City Guard and these crucial government offices have never been easy to get into before."

Xu Liqing's delicate brows furrowed slightly as she pondered. "The specific reasons are not yet clear, but rumors in the market suggest it's related to the increasingly tense border situation to the west."

"It could also be because the three major families have been making frequent moves recently, aggressively recruiting young martial artists, putting pressure on the government, forcing them to prepare for the future by expanding their direct military strength to balance the situation."

"It's not just the government and the three major families," Zhou Hua chimed in, her tone tinged with astonishment. "Major pharmacies, escort agencies, and even some previously inconspicuous merchant guilds and workshops in the city are all competing for people, either secretly or openly!"

"I heard from my elders that the monthly salary for martial artists at the minor accomplishment stage of Mortal Martial has generally been pushed up to four or five taels of silver! If they have special skills or combat experience, the price is even higher. As for Clear Force experts..."

Zhou Hua paused before continuing, "The starting stipend for the initial stage of Clear Force is said to be twenty taels of silver! And that's just the basic salary. If you're willing to sign a long-term contract or undertake dangerous missions, there are additional Qi and Blood Pills, weapons, armor, and even rewards of houses! The benefits are frighteningly generous."

Clear Force initial stage, twenty taels monthly salary, plus cultivation resources!

This number struck Cui Hao's heart like a heavy hammer.

"Junior Brother Cui," Xu Liqing's voice pulled him back from his turbulent thoughts. "This is indeed a rare opportunity. At the very least... your cultivation resources could become much more abundant."

Cui Hao took a deep breath of the food-scented air, forcing himself to calm down.

Pies don't fall from the sky. The sudden lavish recruitment by various powers must have a deeper meaning, perhaps even a reason born of desperation.

Thinking pessimistically, this high salary likely implies higher risks, more brutal conflicts, or even... using people as expendable resources.

If you take their money, you must be prepared to fight for them, even to "die for them."

This is an immutable truth throughout history.

If one only craves benefits when encountering matters but shrinks back from action, it's not simply "cowardice" but a path to self-destruction.

Conversely, the Hu family's flower shop, though only giving three taels monthly, a meager sponsorship, had a clear attitude – they didn't require anything from him for now, it was merely a "goodwill investment" in his future potential.

Even if future repayment was required, it would likely be within his capabilities.

Moreover, the Hu family's business was not large, with only a few shops in the city. Compared to the deeply entrenched three major families or well-established official institutions, the connections and risks involved would be relatively controllable.

Just as Cui Hao's mind was racing, weighing the pros and cons--

"BOOM--!!"

A deafening, earth-shattering explosion suddenly erupted from the direction of the docks!

Immediately after, a cloud of black smoke billowed up.

Countless screams of extreme terror, cries, and curses, like a breached dam, surged forward with terrifying speed!

"Run!"

"Damn it! Get out of the way! Don't block the path!!"

"Someone's being trampled to death!!"

"..."

The crowd near the docks completely erupted, a black mass of people like startled ants desperately surging forward.

Some were pushed to the ground, instantly buried by those behind them.

Stalls were overturned, goods scattered everywhere, trampled by the crowd.

The cries of children, the screams of women, and the roars of men mingled together, creating a chaotic scene of doomsday.

The immense sound wave and the surging crowd caused the expressions of everyone at the noodle stall to change drastically. A huge plume of black smoke rose from the direction of the explosion.

"Everyone stay still! Stay close to the stall, don't get separated!" Xu Liqing suddenly stood up, raising her hand to press down, her voice clear but carrying undeniable authority.

The stall owner, a man in his forties, was also pale with fear. He wanted to run but couldn't bear to abandon his belongings.

Liu Yan was also startled by the sudden chaos, her heart racing, but she reacted quickly. She immediately got up to help serve the noodles, quickly distributing a bowl to each person, and said in a low voice, "Stop looking! Eat quickly! You'll need strength to run after you've eaten!"

As if waking from a dream, everyone, disregarding the heat, picked up their bowls and, standing, slurped down the noodles against the noisy background.

At this moment, every bit of physical strength was crucial.

Just as they finished their noodles, before they had even put down their bowls and chopsticks--

A tall, burly figure, like an iron tower, staggered towards the noodle stall against the surging crowd.

It was their second senior brother, Halan Sheng! His face was ashen white, cold sweat dripping from his forehead. The front of his sturdy training uniform was stained with a large patch of glaring, still-damp dark red blood!

"Sis... Senior Sister! Commander Pang! He's been blown to pieces!" Halan Sheng stammered, his body trembling. "His head... it rolled to my feet!"

"BOOM--!!!"

These words struck everyone near the noodle stall like a bolt from the heavens, exploding in their minds!

"What!?" Xu Liqing's delicate body trembled violently. The empty bowl she was still holding clattered onto the table, shattering into pieces.

"This... this is impossible!" Xu Ren's voice trembled in protest, "Lord Pang was a martial arts examination graduate..."

Zhou Hua added, "He could still be blown up."

"Who did it?! That damned beast! Lord Pang is the stabilizing force of our Qingyuan City!" A passing martial artist pounded his chest, his eyes filled with both fear and genuine grief.

Sun Cheng was also completely stunned, his mouth agape, unable to speak for a long time. The turn of events had completely exceeded their expectations.

Cui Hao's expression instantly turned incredibly grim, his heart feeling as if it were being squeezed by an invisible hand.

Commander Pang Gaoshan was not only the highest security officer of Qingyuan City but also an officially appointed imperial official, representing the authority of the Da'an Dynasty in this region! He himself was also recognized as one of the strongest fighters in Qingyuan City, a figure countless martial artists looked up to.

Such a person was assassinated during a public sacrificial ceremony--

For the common folk, the death of a city guard would surely lead to the imperial court imposing additional taxes like "rebellion suppression tax," "mourning donations," and "punitive commercial taxes."

These were almost a certainty, adding to the hardships of ordinary people and merchants.

For martial artists, the impact was even more direct. Cultivation resources like Qi and Blood Powder and Qi and Blood Pill would increase in price, a punishment from the government towards martial artists.

It felt like the emperor's rage could cause millions to fall.

Just as panic and chaos spread--

"Li Qing!"

A low voice, laced with suppressed fury, boomed.

Xu Dian, supported by a disciple, pushed through the crowd and strode towards the noodle stall.

His face was ashen, sweat beaded at his temples, and his neatly combed topknot was slightly disheveled. The hem of his robe was stained with dust, clearly indicating he had just escaped the chaotic dock area.

"Father!" Seeing her father safe, Xu Liqing let out a small sigh of relief and hurried to meet him.

Xu Dian gritted out three words, his tone leaving no room for argument, "Back to the martial arts school! Immediately!"