Murder

The only thing Shen Chu regretted a little was that

he'd thought taking on the purchasing job might prompt the system to roll out a new career panel for him,

something like [Merchant] or [Purchaser],

but after several days of running around, the panel hadn't changed a bit. Nothing new had appeared.

He could only console himself that biting off more than he could chew was no good.

The three careers he already had—[Bladesmith], [Martial Artist], and [Cultist]—were enough to grind away at.

He shouldn't waste time thinking about things that weren't there.

That afternoon, Shen Chu had just finished forging a batch of goods and was resting in the courtyard

when Zhao Dezhu hurried in from outside, a fine sheen of sweat on his forehead and a letter clenched in his hand. He looked noticeably more anxious than usual.

"Master Shen! Master Shen!"

Zhao Dezhu strode over and shoved the letter into his hands. "This order is urgent. You have to head out of the city right away!"

Shen Chu unfolded the letter and skimmed it. It was an order from an iron-supply depot outside the city. The quantity was substantial, and the amount was much higher than usual. The purchasing deposit alone came to over three hundred taels.

Zhao Dezhu said urgently, "The Second Young Master needs these goods right away. We can't afford any delays. I've prepared the purchasing deposit too—three hundred taels of silver, all in this bundle."

He pointed to a bulging cloth bundle behind him.

"The place is a little remote, and I'm worried the road might be dangerous. I've specially assigned two guards to go with you. They know the way, and with them by your side, I'll feel more at ease."

Shen Chu glanced at the two burly men standing at the courtyard gate.

They were indeed guards from the Li Residence, with short clubs tucked at their waists. They looked like they could hold their own in a fight.

"Fine. I'll set off now."

Shen Chu nodded, took the bundle, and headed for the iron-supply depot outside the city with the two guards accompanying him.

Zhao Dezhu really was in a hurry. He'd even arranged a carriage for them.

The two guards drove Shen Chu onward at a brisk pace, the horses' hooves kicking up clouds of dust.

After they left the city, the sky gradually darkened. Fewer and fewer people traveled the road, while the mountain woods on either side cast deep shadows in the dusk.

A perfect place like this would be such a waste if it weren't used to kill someone, silence them, and bury the body.

Shen Chu sat in the carriage, his gaze seemingly sweeping casually over the surroundings, while his hand had already settled discreetly on the short blade at his waist.

Though he'd seemed to let his guard down these past few days, the string inside him had never truly slackened.

Especially after Zhao Dezhu had suddenly handed him such a large sum of purchasing money and specifically arranged for guards to accompany him.

When they reached a secluded stretch of road in a mountain hollow, the guard in front suddenly pulled on the reins and stopped.

Here they come!

Shen Chu climbed down from the carriage and pretended not to understand. "What's going on? We haven't reached the iron-supply depot yet. Why are we stopping?"

The two guards exchanged a glance, then both broke into sinister grins.

The one in the lead dismounted and rolled his neck, making it crack. He grinned at Shen Chu. "Master Shen, I'm afraid we owe you an apology. We're just following orders. Once you're gone, don't blame us two brothers."

Before he'd even finished speaking, he yanked the short club from his waist and swung it hard at Shen Chu's head!

But at the very instant he swung, Shen Chu planted his right foot against the carriage frame and pushed off. He flipped half a turn through the air and landed steadily behind the two guards.

The guards froze, unable to grasp what had happened. Shen Chu's blade was already out of its sheath.

A flash of cold light.

The lead guard still had his club raised in midair, but a thin line of blood had appeared across his neck.

His eyes widened. His mouth opened and closed, letting out a muffled sound before he dropped to his knees with a thud. Blood gushed from his throat.

The other guard turned deathly pale. He fumbled for the short club at his waist, but Shen Chu was faster.

He struck backhanded with his blade.

The tip pierced his heart with pinpoint accuracy.

The guard lowered his head and stared at the blood rapidly spreading across his chest, his face full of disbelief. He swayed twice, then fell to the ground as well.

The whole thing took no more than three or five breaths. Clean and swift, without a sound to spare.

Shen Chu flicked the blood from his blade, crouched, and searched both guards.

Apart from a few bits of silver, he found no other clues. He pondered for a moment, then suddenly remembered the Mystic Nether Ghost-Driving Technique he'd obtained from Han Tieshan. It contained a section on the Corpse Control Technique.

He immediately closed his eyes, drew upon the cold aura within him, and infused a thread of soul power into the two corpses.

A moment later, both corpses opened their eyes at the same time and stiffly climbed to their feet. They stood with their hands at their sides before Shen Chu, their gazes blank, like puppets on strings.

But the two corpses were a complete mess, covered in blood. Shen Chu had to make them roll around on the ground until he'd concealed the state they were in.

Satisfied, Shen Chu nodded and headed back toward the city with the two corpses, taking his time.

Night deepened. A man and two corpses crossed the city gates beneath the moonlight.

Shen Chu stopped the carriage in the rear alley of the Li Residence, closed his eyes, and sank his consciousness into one of the guards' bodies.

The guard's body set off and walked straight to Zhao Dezhu's courtyard.

Zhao Dezhu was sitting inside, waiting anxiously. Hearing footsteps, he looked up and saw the two guards entering one after the other. A look of relief immediately spread across his face.

He stood and went to meet them, asking in a low voice, "Did you take care of it?"

Controlling the guard's body, Shen Chu gave a vague nod.

Zhao Dezhu didn't suspect a thing. He returned to his chair, picked up his teacup, and let out a long breath.

"It's finally settled. Old Wang brought this on himself, insisting on looking into the accounts and finding things he shouldn't have. Good thing we cleaned up everyone who knew about it. If the Flag Master's business had been ruined, I wouldn't have been able to answer for it."

He set down his teacup and glanced at the two guards. Seeing them still standing rigidly in place, he frowned.

"Now that it's done, why are you still standing there? Get out."

Neither guard moved.

Zhao Dezhu's frown deepened. He stood up and stepped closer, examining the face of the guard before him in the candlelight.

The man's face was as pale as paper, his pupils unfocused and lifeless. A faint smell of blood clung to him, and his whole body radiated a deathly stillness.

Zhao Dezhu's expression changed abruptly. He stumbled back a step. "Something's wrong! You're..."

Before he could finish, the guard's body lunged at him.

An icy hand clamped around his throat and slammed him against the wall.

The force was so great that Zhao Dezhu's feet left the ground, and his face turned bright red!