Killing

The only thing Shen Chu regretted slightly was that he had originally thought taking on the procurement job might trigger the system to grant him a new profession panel, such as [Merchant] or [Purchaser]. As it turned out, after running errands for several days in a row, the panel remained completely unmoved, with nothing new added at all. He had no choice but to console himself that it was better not to bite off more than he could chew; with [Bladesmith], [Martial Artist], and [Cultist], he already had enough professions to grind, so he shouldn't dwell on those extraneous matters.

In the afternoon, just as Shen Chu finished processing a batch of goods and was resting in the courtyard, Zhao Dezhu suddenly hurried in from outside. A thin layer of sweat beaded his forehead, and he clutched a letter in his hand, his expression noticeably more anxious than usual. "Master Shen! Master Shen!" Zhao Dezhu walked quickly to his side and shoved the letter into his hands. "This shipment is urgent; you must leave the city and make a trip immediately!"

Shen Chu unfolded the letter and scanned it. It was an order from an iron supply yard outside the city. The quantity was significant, and the amount was much larger than usual; the procurement deposit alone was listed at three hundred taels. Zhao Dezhu urged, "The Second Young Master needs these goods urgently, and we cannot afford any delays. I have already prepared the deposit—three hundred taels of silver, all in this bundle." He pointed to a bulging cloth bundle behind him. "This area is a bit remote, and I fear the road may not be safe, so I have specifically assigned two guards from the Li Residence to accompany you. They know the way, and with them there, I will 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 sticks tucked into their waistbands, and they certainly looked capable of a fight. "Very well, I shall set off at once." Shen Chu nodded, took the bundle, and, escorted by the two guards, headed toward the iron supply yard outside the city.

Zhao Dezhu was indeed in a hurry; he had even arranged a carriage for them. The two guards drove Shen Chu along at a rapid pace, the horse's hooves kicking up clouds of dust. After leaving the city, the sky gradually darkened, the pedestrians on the road grew fewer, and the forests on both sides cast heavy shadows in the twilight. It was the kind of perfect place that would be a terrible waste if not used for murder and body disposal.

Sitting in the carriage, Shen Chu scanned the surroundings with a seemingly casual gaze, though his hand had already moved quietly to the short blade at his waist. Although he had appeared to lower his guard over the past few days, the string in his heart had never truly slackened, especially after Zhao Dezhu had suddenly provided him with such a large sum of procurement funds and specifically arranged for guards to accompany him.

As they reached a remote mountain pass, the guard in front suddenly pulled on the reins and came to a halt. It was time! Shen Chu immediately stepped out of the carriage and asked with feigned confusion, "What is the matter? We haven't reached the iron supply yard yet, why have we stopped?"

The two guards exchanged a look, their mouths simultaneously curling into sinister smiles. The leader jumped off his horse, rolled his neck, which emitted a series of cracking sounds, and gave a wicked grin at Shen Chu. "Master Shen, I am truly sorry. We brothers are only acting under orders. After you are gone, please don't blame us." Before the words had even faded, he whipped out the short stick from his waist and swung it fiercely at Shen Chu's head!

However, at the very moment the stick was swung, Shen Chu pushed off the carriage frame with his right foot, his body flipping half a turn in the air. By the time he landed, he was standing firmly behind the two guards. The guards were stunned; before they could react to what had happened, Shen Chu's blade had already left its sheath. A flash of cold light streaked by. The lead guard's stick was still raised in mid-air, but a thin line of blood had already appeared across his neck. He widened his eyes, his mouth opened and closed as he let out a muffled, wheezing sound, and then he collapsed to his knees with a thud, blood gushing from his throat.

The other guard was struck with terror and scrambled to draw his own stick, but Shen Chu was faster. With a backhand strike, the tip of the blade precisely pierced his heart. The guard looked down at the blood rapidly soaking his chest, his face filled with disbelief. He swayed twice before falling to the ground.

The entire process took no more than three to five breaths—clean, efficient, and without any unnecessary noise. Shen Chu flicked the blood off his blade and crouched down to search the two guards. Aside from some loose silver, there were no other clues. He pondered for a moment, then suddenly recalled the Mystic Nether Ghost-Driving Technique he had obtained from Han Tieshan, which contained a method for "Corpse Control Technique." He immediately closed his eyes, mobilized the cold, yin energy within his body, and injected a sliver of soul power into the two corpses.

A moment later, both corpses opened their eyes, climbed stiffly from the ground, and stood before Shen Chu with their hands hanging at their sides, their eyes vacant like marionettes. However, the two corpses were a mess, covered in bloodstains. Shen Chu had no choice but to manipulate them to roll around on the ground, which finally covered the disarray on their bodies. Satisfied, Shen Chu nodded and led the two corpses back toward the city at a leisurely pace.

As the night deepened, one man and two corpses stepped into the city gate under the moonlight. Shen Chu pulled the carriage to a stop in the back alley of the Li Residence, closed his eyes, and sank his consciousness into the body of one of the guards. The guard's body stepped forward and walked straight into Zhao Dezhu's courtyard.

Zhao Dezhu was sitting in his room waiting anxiously. Hearing footsteps, he looked up to see the two guards walking in one after the other, and a look of relief immediately washed over his face. He stood up to greet them and asked in a low voice, "Is it done?" Shen Chu, manipulating the guard's body, gave a vague nod.

Zhao Dezhu did not suspect anything. He sat back down in his chair, picked up his teacup, and let out a long sigh of relief. "It is finally resolved. That old man Wang was asking for death, insisting on auditing the accounts and discovering things he shouldn't have. It is fortunate that everyone who knew about this has been cleared away; otherwise, if the Flag Master's grand plans were ruined, I could not bear the consequences."

He set down his teacup and looked up at the two guards. Seeing them standing there stiffly, he couldn't help but frown. "Why are you still standing there now that the job is done? Get out." The two guards remained motionless.

Zhao Dezhu's frown deepened. He stood up, took two steps closer, and examined the face of the guard in front of him carefully by the candlelight. He saw that the man's complexion was as pale as paper, his pupils were unfocused and dull, and a faint scent of blood emanated from his body. The entire person exuded an aura of death. Zhao Dezhu's expression changed drastically, and he recoiled sharply. "Something is wrong! You are..." Before he could finish his sentence, the guard's body lunged forward. A cold hand clamped tightly onto his throat, pinning him against the wall. The force was astonishing; Zhao Dezhu's feet were already off the ground, and his face had turned a deep, congested red!