The secret meeting at Heavenly Fragrance Tower dispersed, and the major martial world factions of Flowing Cloud Commandery secretly issued orders, moving with swift efficiency.
Though gangs had run rampant and cultivators had acted arrogantly in the past, they had still shown the imperial court some measure of respect and had not openly slaughtered serving officials.
But now, to give Li Xuancang a show of force, these lawless people cast aside all scruples and acted with utter impunity.
The night was deep, darkness shrouding the entire city.
Several carefully selected bands of martial world death warriors moved with elusive footwork, concealing their breaths as they infiltrated separately toward the residences and duty offices of several civil officials who had always been timid, submissive, and without backing.
These officials had long been cowed by the martial world factions. They did not dare interfere in martial world affairs, endured and yielded whenever trouble arose, and were little more than decorations in the commandery.
The martial world factions chose them as targets because there was no risk involved, and because killing chickens to scare the monkeys would have an excellent effect.
At the third watch of the night, shrill screams briefly tore through the sky before being swallowed once more by the darkness.
Bloody storms erupted one after another in streets and alleys, official residences and side courtyards, and at the city gates where guards stood watch.
The martial world people struck viciously and without mercy, never dragging things out. One blow was enough to kill.
In less than half an hour, three civil officials of the commandery government, two county yamen stewards, and several constables on duty were all assassinated.
The killers acted with extreme brazenness, showing no intention of concealing their tracks.
Instead, they deliberately arranged the corpses before the commandery