Dawn had barely broken, and the smell of blood still lingered over Yunlin County.
Last night's great purge had set half the Inner City ablaze and struck terror into the martial arts halls.
Inside the Thundercloud Martial Arts Hall, its master, Mu Fenghai, sat at the head of the room. He had been holding his teacup for so long that the tea had gone completely cold.
Several instructors stood below him with their heads lowered. None dared speak, clearly frightened by the Heaven Patrol Office's sweeping operation.
When no one spoke, Mu Fenghai set down his cup. Its base tapped softly against the table before he said calmly, "Bring out every account book recording our dealings with the Zhang and the Wang Family over the past three years."
One instructor said quietly, "Master, some of those accounts... don't look very good."
Mu Fenghai looked up and snapped, "You're still worrying about that at a time like this? Ugly accounts are better than an ugly severed head. Hurry up and sever our ties with those two families. Otherwise, when the Heaven Patrol Office's blades arrive, you won't even get a chance to regret it."
The instructor shrank into his shoulders and dared say no more.
Things were no better at the White Tiger Martial Academy. Its master stood in the storeroom with an outer robe thrown over his shoulders, his hair not even properly combed, and asked:
"Where are the gifts the Zhang sent?"
"In the third storeroom, Master."
"Seal them up, attach labels, and send them to the Heaven Patrol Office tomorrow. If anyone dares take so much as a coin, I'll cripple him myself."
A disciple muttered, "Isn't that a little too cowardly?"
The academy master turned and cursed, "Cowardly? Didn't you see how many people were kneeling outside