I Say You Are, You Are

"Ruining my fun and still trying to run?"

Ever since the Fat Old Man had opened his mouth to warn the blade-wielders, Chen Zhuo had kept a portion of his attention fixed on him.

He had originally intended to farm a bit more proficiency, but the Fat Old Man's shout had spoiled his plans.

What kind of villain could ever hope to escape after committing such evil?

The moment the Fat Old Man had taken a few steps, Chen Zhuo hurled the long blade in his hand with all his might.

Terrified, the Fat Old Man had no choice but to dodge to the side.

Although the strike missed, Chen Zhuo seized the opportunity to close the distance and apprehend the Fat Old Man in one fell swoop.

The Fat Old Man was not the type to sit and wait for death.

As Chen Zhuo gripped his shoulder, he realized this man was also a martial artist who had mastered the basics.

His skin was thick and tough, and his strength was not much different from his own.

It was only because that previous blade strike had been so astonishing that the Fat Old Man had been driven to flee in such a panic.

Strike while the iron is hot; as the Fat Old Man struggled in a blind panic, Chen Zhuo turned his palm into a blade and slashed downward.

It was as if that previous strike had manifested again; the Fat Old Man, already gripped by fear, seemed to give up on struggling entirely.

With a loud "smack," the palm slammed heavily into his chest.

The Fat Old Man spat out a mouthful of blood, stumbled back several paces, and collapsed onto the ground.

"Feel free to try running again."

Chen Zhuo cast a cold glance at the Fat Old Man, walked a short distance away, and retrieved the blade that had been stuck in the ground.

"No running, no running, I definitely won't run! I never expected that after not seeing you for over a month, Third Brother would have such skills. You've truly made your brother's jaw drop."

Hearing Chen the Second's voice, Chen Zhuo didn't even turn his head.

He ignored him completely.

This guy had run far away at the very start, and now that the fight was over, he had crawled out from some unknown corner.

He paid no mind, but Chen the Second clung to him like a piece of adhesive plaster.

"My good brother, look at all these wounds on you; it breaks my heart."

Chen Zhuo looked at Chen the Second, stunned for a moment, then suddenly laughed.

In his memories, Chen the Second's temper had always been explosive; when they were young, if the food wasn't to his liking, he would resort to beatings and verbal abuse.

This current attitude felt truly alien to him.

"It's been a long time since you've been home, you must miss it, right? Let's go back later, and I'll have your sister-in-law clean you up properly, apply some medicine, and you can have a good sleep."

Seeing Chen Zhuo smile, Chen the Second prepared to press his advantage.

Chen Zhuo offered a cold laugh: "Go back to sleep with you? Right, so you can wait until I'm asleep and have someone slaughter me?"

Chen the Second's expression froze, and he hurriedly explained: "Brother, what are you saying..."

"Shut up!"

Chen Zhuo was annoyed; he had no interest in entangling himself with this animal any longer and pointed directly at the gambling den's entrance: "If I'm not mistaken, there's no one inside, right?"

Chen the Second looked as if he had been struck by lightning, stammering and unable to speak.

"Truly my good brother, actually colluding with outsiders to set a trap for me."

Chen Zhuo raised a foot and kicked Chen the Second hard in the chest.

Chen the Second flew backward like a dead dog, crashing into the gambling den.

"With this kick, the debt of our kinship is settled. As for whether you survive, that depends on your own fate."

Having dealt with Chen the Second, Chen Zhuo carried his blade by his side and walked slowly toward the Fat Old Man: "Tell me, who is it?"

He didn't finish the sentence, but the Fat Old Man understood his meaning.

"The people behind me—I dare to say it, but do you truly dare to listen?"

The Fat Old Man wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, a smirk curling his lips.

"I know even without you saying it. The Long River Gang, right?"

Chen Zhuo smiled.

The Fat Old Man kept his eyes on his nose and his heart on his center, remaining silent.

"Quite the backbone you have."

Chen Zhuo pointed the tip of his blade at the Fat Old Man's throat, his expression darkening as he said with chilling intensity: "I had just posted the portrait of Qiu Laojiu, and you immediately brought men to surround and kill me."

"With such timing, could it be that you lot have some connection to Qiu Laojiu?"

"Go to hell! My skills weren't up to par, and I fell into your hands today, you little brat—I admit that. But trying to smear me? I'll never admit to that."

The Fat Old Man's expression changed completely, his tone even turning a hint frantic.

However, Chen Zhuo's next sentence was what truly made him lose his composure.

"Look at you, getting anxious."

Chen Zhuo narrowed his eyes: "You get worked up the moment Qiu Laojiu is mentioned, yet you claim you have nothing to do with him? Who would believe that?"

"That's just you slinging mud..."

The Fat Old Man tried to defend himself, but Chen Zhuo waved his blade, immediately stuffing the words back down his throat.

Chen Zhuo said sternly: "Based on your behavior today, I have reason to suspect that you have an inevitable connection to the murderous maniac Qiu Laojiu."

The Fat Old Man's face turned livid, yet he still wouldn't give up: "On what grounds do you think I'm an accomplice of Qiu Laojiu?"

Chen Zhuo grinned: "I say you are, so you are."

With that, Chen Zhuo tore two blood-stained strips of cloth from his person and tossed them in front of the Fat Old Man.

"You have the right to remain silent, but every word you say will be used as evidence in court."

"Please bind your own hands and feet and come with me to the yamen."

"Don't force me to slaughter you right here."

"Thank you."

Under Chen Zhuo's coercion, the Fat Old Man had no choice but to comply.

But looking at his bloated frame, Chen Zhuo found himself in a bind.

He's like a pig; surely I don't have to carry him back, do I?

Just then, an empty donkey cart slowly rolled by.

Chen Zhuo locked eyes with the black donkey and nearly burst out laughing.

The setting sun sank low, leaning against the mountain peak.

The sunset glow, like a raging fire, flowed over everyone in Baiyun County.

Chen Zhuo sat on the donkey cart, his shadow stretched long by the evening light.

After he left the north side of the outer city with the few members of the Long River Gang, people emerged from their houses in twos and threes.

The shocking bloodstains on the ground didn't cause much alarm; they were quickly washed away with clear water.

The people resumed the final chores of their day.

Only one old man was anxiously searching for his missing donkey.

"The sun is almost down, and the men still haven't all returned?"

Inside the yamen, Fifth Master sat in a grand armchair, a cup of tea by his hand, asking the White-Uniform Runner beside him in a leisurely manner.

"Twenty-nine men in total, twenty-eight have returned; one is still missing."

The White-Uniform Runner's answer clearly did not satisfy Fifth Master, who glared: "Who hasn't returned?"

"Chen Zhuo."

"Oh."

Fifth Master said coldly: "I have a slight impression of him."

"Can't even handle his first day of duty properly, a useless piece of trash."

"If he returns later, tell him he can go wherever he likes tomorrow, just don't come back here. If he doesn't return, then let him die out there."

"In this day and age, people die everywhere."

The White-Uniform Runner beside him shivered inexplicably at these cold words. Seeming to recall something, he leaned in and whispered: "I heard it was Dianshi Sun himself who gave the nod to have that kid transferred over from the Black-Uniform Squad."

"If he dies out there, it's no matter, but if he returns alive and you transfer him away, what about Dianshi Sun..."

Fifth Master sneered: "Personally appointed by Dianshi Sun? So what?"

"He couldn't even handle putting up a portrait; what use is keeping such trash around?"

"Even if Dianshi Sun were here in person, I would speak my mind."

As he spoke, he stroked the two wisps of his mustache, his face full of disdain.

There was one thing he didn't say.

Nepotism was the most annoying thing of all.

"Dianshi Sun? What did Fifth Master just say? Why mention Dianshi Sun?"

Sun Fei walked in with a bluster, first snatching the tea from Fifth Master's hand and gulping it down before asking with a puzzled look.

Fifth Master stood up abruptly, smiling broadly: "Nothing, nothing at all. Dianshi Sun is wise and martial, and Young Master Sun is no less impressive."

"Oh."

Sun Fei wiped the tea stain from the corner of his mouth and asked out of the blue, "Chen Zhuo hasn't returned from his errand yet?"

"Not yet, Young Master Sun. The workload is heavy today, and since it's Chen Zhuo's first day, he's naturally not quite familiar with the ropes. He'll be much better in a few days."

Fifth Master's words were so ridiculous that the White-Uniform Runner standing nearby nearly rolled his eyes.

"Wait until I properly teach him..."

Just as Fifth Master was looking to show off in front of Sun Fei, a White-Uniform Runner came rushing in, shouting at the top of his lungs.

"He's back, he's back! Blood... there's so much blood..."