A Person Should Have a Conscience

"Indeed. Chai Rang was blind enough to break into a private home at night. He deserved to die," Han Tai said coldly.

"That damned Lin Qing has cut off another source of income for us!" Jiang Baihe cursed.

Many gangs in the city regularly paid the two men tribute, and the Three Harmonies Gang was one of them.

"Lin Qing is no simple man. Chai Rang had reached Bright Force Perfection, yet he was no match for him." Han Tai tapped a finger lightly on the table.

Jiang Baihe frowned. "I hear he's already brought Lone Swan Reflecting Shadow to Minor Mastery. At that speed, he truly is a genius. But talent alone won't help him grow quickly. He needs plenty of silver to buy medicine, too. He came from a poor family, so where did he get that much money? From Yang Feng? That fool prides himself on being upright. All his income comes from the Soul-Calming Office, and he barely has enough silver for himself. How much could he spare for Lin Qing?"

Han Tai took a large bite of his pear and smiled. "Brother Jiang, you still won't let Lin Qing go?"

"You don't understand, Brother Han. Lin Qing has ruined several of my deals, and I can't swallow this grudge. Couldn't you use Chai Rang's death as a pretext to arrest him and give him a thorough interrogation?" Jiang Baihe asked.

"No. With Shen Cheng and Yang Feng protecting him, no one can touch him unless there's conclusive evidence," Han Tai said calmly.

"Evidence?" Jiang Baihe sighed and took a long swig of wine. "Where am I supposed to find evidence?"

Three more days passed in the blink of an eye.

Lin Qing returned home. The Outer City was chaotic, and with no one living in the house, he needed to check on it often lest someone turn it upside down.

He had only just arrived when someone knocked on the door. He opened it to find a thick-browed, bright-eyed man: Li Ping.

"I knew I'd find you here, Lin Qing! Come, I'm treating you to a drink today!" Li Ping laughed heartily, shaking the jar of wine in his hand.

"Come in, Brother Li. What made you decide to treat me to a drink?" Lin Qing asked with a smile.

Li Ping was generous and chivalrous, often helping ordinary people. He had helped Lin Qing's family during hard times, and Lin Qing had always been grateful to him.

"No special reason. I heard Chai Rang of the Three Harmonies Gang died at your hands. You rid the people of a scourge, and I admire you from the bottom of my heart. Chai Rang committed evil after evil. I hated him, but I wasn't strong enough to do anything about it. Thank goodness you stepped in. Come, let's drink! A toast to you!" Li Ping opened the jar and poured them each a brimming cup, then raised his own and drained it in one go.

"Chai Rang broke into my home at night. I had no choice but to kill him. Still, I've always hated people who use their strength to bully the weak and oppress ordinary folk. The likes of him deserve to die." Lin Qing drank a full cup as well.

"Haha! Of everyone in this alley, you're the one I get along with best, Lin Qing." Li Ping burst out laughing again.

"Exactly. The world today is murky, but a lamp has always burned in my heart. We young people should know what is right and observe propriety, no matter when or where we find ourselves. We must not cast aside our conscience and principles for a little profit. I believe you're that kind of man too, Brother Li," Lin Qing said solemnly.

"Well said! A person should have a conscience. Another toast to you!" Li Ping regarded him with newfound respect and took several more deep gulps.

Before long, the jar was empty and Li Ping left. Lin Qing did not linger either. Nothing was amiss at home, and his parents were not there, so he set off for the Soul-Calming Office.

Back in the Corpse Collectors' courtyard, there was still no news from Yang Feng. All he could do was wait.

He found an open patch of ground in the courtyard and practiced Eight Strikes of the Spirit Snake again and again.

When he grew tired, he went to rest at a nearby stone table. Another constable sat across from him: Bai Jingming, a short, stout, plainspoken man.

At the sight of Lin Qing, Bai Jingming seemed to want to speak but held back. Sensing his hesitation, Lin Qing smiled. "Uncle Bai, if you have something to say, just say it. Why be so hesitant?"

Bai Jingming was over forty, so there was nothing odd about calling him Uncle Bai.

Only then did Bai Jingming speak. "Lin Qing, I heard you killed Chai Rang, the leader of the Three Harmonies Gang?"

"That's right."

"Impressive. In just six months, you've grown this strong. You're among the strongest of us constables now. Would you be willing to go with me to Willow Forest outside the city to gather Ghostface Mushrooms?" Bai Jingming asked.

"Willow Forest? The Yin Qi there is extremely dense. It's a dangerous place." Lin Qing frowned.

"It is dangerous, but Ghostface Mushrooms are a key ingredient in refining Soul-Stabilizing Pills. Each one is worth ten taels of silver," Bai Jingming said.

"Uncle Bai, no amount of silver matters if you don't live to spend it," Lin Qing said softly.

"Ah, you're right. But I have no choice. My little one has come down with a strange illness, and treating it will cost a great deal. I really have no other way." Bai Jingming sighed.

After a moment's thought, Lin Qing took two taels of silver from his clothes and set them on the table.

"Uncle Bai, if things are that difficult, take these two taels. Don't let your wife and child go hungry. Pay me back when you can," Lin Qing said.

Bai Jingming was an honest man. Lin Qing was certain he would repay the loan.

Bai Jingming shook his head. "I can't take it. I can't keep borrowing money. I have to rely on myself. I'm going to take my chances in Willow Forest."

"Very well. I wish you luck, Uncle Bai." Lin Qing cupped his hands.

Elsewhere.

The Outer City.

Cao Family Village stood at the very edge of the Outer City. Every head of the estate for generations had borne the surname Cao.

The Cao Family made its living forging iron and crafting weapons, and its name was well known throughout Jiangyin County.

At that moment, in a courtyard at the heart of the estate, a white-haired man with bare arms was working ceaselessly at a forge.

He held a Heavy Hammer, striking a red-hot iron ingot again and again, slowly hammering it into shape.

An old woman with disheveled hair stood nearby. Her sinister, snake-like eyes kept sweeping over the forging hammer in his hand.

The man was Cao Tieshan, the current head of the estate. The old woman beside him was Yin Muhua.

"Master Cao, your forging skill is remarkable indeed," Yin Muhua said in a raspy voice.

Cao Tieshan paid her no heed. He kept hammering the ingot, blow after blow, over and over.

At last, the ingot took shape. Cao Tieshan put down the forging hammer and abruptly asked in a low voice, "When will my daughter recover?"

"Don't worry. As long as you cooperate with me and find what I want, your daughter's poison will soon be cured." A smile appeared on Yin Muhua's face, but with her deep wrinkles and ugly features, it looked worse than a grimace.

Just then, the courtyard gate creaked open. A black-clad figure hurried in and presented a palm-sized square wooden box to Yin Muhua with both hands.

"My lady, this is the secret medicine the Han Family just sent over."

Yin Muhua took the box and opened it. Inside lay a purplish-black pill.

"It is indeed a Nine-Turn Spring-Returning Pill for healing injuries to the organs. With this, the hidden damage inside me will soon be cured."

"My lady, the Han Family also said the Spirit-Devouring Demon Visualization Diagram must be delivered within three days," the black-clad figure added.

"Hmph. That old ghost of the Han Family refuses to lose out on anything!" Yin Muhua cursed. She pulled a piece of cloth from her clothes and tossed it to the black-clad figure. "Go. Deliver this to the Han Family tonight!"

"Yes, my lady. One more thing: Chai Rang is dead," the black-clad figure said.