Chapter 47: Outside the Taiping Division (Please follow, bookmark, and vote with monthly tickets and recommendation votes)

Wuling City was vast.

In particular, Yang Jin's residence was located on the edge of the outer city, extremely far from the inner city.

Under normal circumstances, one would need to ride a horse to travel from here to the inner city.

However, Su Mu had no horse to ride, and he also wished to avoid drawing unnecessary attention. Thus, relying on his own physical strength, he traveled quietly on foot, weaving through various streets and alleys. By the time noon approached, he finally arrived at the inner city of Wuling.

In the past, he had only heard people say that Wuling City was divided into an inner and an outer city, but Su Mu had never had a direct sense of the difference.

Today, after making the journey, he felt it deeply.

The closer he got to the inner city, the wider and cleaner the streets became, and the more bustling the atmosphere grew; even the pedestrians on the street seemed to possess more vitality and spirit.

His impressions were even deeper when he saw the walls of the inner city.

The inner city walls far surpassed the ancient city walls he had seen in his previous life; they were nearly twice as high and twice as thick as the walls of the outer city.

Under the sunlight, the entire wall shimmered with a faint metallic texture, clearly not constructed from ordinary stone.

Outside the walls, a moat several yards wide had even been excavated.

"This isn't just an inner and outer city; these are two entirely different cities. Separated by high walls and vast waters, even if a riot were to break out in the outer city, it wouldn't affect the inner city at all. If some power were to attack Wuling City, the outer city would be the first to take the brunt of it."

Su Mu stared at the magnificent walls of the inner city for a moment, shaking his head slightly in his heart.

Class distinctions were everywhere; he was merely a lowly squad leader and could not control such things.

He walked straight to the gates of the inner city, where he was stopped by the guards.

The inner city was strict about entry and lenient about exit; anyone wishing to enter had to undergo inspection.

Ordinary people had no right to enter the inner city. If commoners wished to enter, they required a transit permit personally signed and approved by the Sima of the Outer City.

Su Mu was no ordinary commoner; he was an officially appointed squad leader, and furthermore, a constable appointed verbally by the Sima of the South City Division.

Arriving at the gate, Su Mu identified himself to the guards.

"Are you the Su Mu who broke into the Xu residence at night, killed several guards in front of Xu Mingchen, and abducted the Xu family's steward?" one of the guards asked, sizing him up.

"Yes," Su Mu nodded. "I am an officially appointed squad leader of the South City Division. My identification plaque has not yet been manufactured, and the formal process for my appointment as a constable is currently underway."

"Without a plaque, logically, I cannot let you in," the guard said expressionlessly. "However, your identity cannot be faked. Go in. Remember to leave before nightfall. Until you are formally appointed as a constable, you are not permitted to stay overnight in the inner city."

Had he known he could enter the inner city without a plaque, he would have come much sooner.

But on second thought, if it hadn't been for yesterday's incident, the inner city guards probably wouldn't even know who he was. By causing such a stir and gaining notoriety, he had actually gained an unexpected benefit.

Su Mu cupped his hands in thanks and passed through the gates into the inner city.

What he did not know was that immediately after he entered, the guard called out to someone, whispered something, and that person quickly entered the inner city.

***

With the topographical map provided by Wei Yongfu, Su Mu did not lose his way despite it being his first time in the inner city.

Following streets that were more than twice as wide as the broadest roads in the outer city, Su Mu soon found the headquarters of the Taiping Division.

Although the Taiping Division's headquarters was not located in the very center of the inner city, it occupied a large area in the eastern part of the inner district.

The blue-brick courtyard walls were over ten feet high, and the large black gates were wide enough for ten men to pass through side-by-side.

The Taiping Division headquarters did not hang any plaques, nor did it have the statues of *Bi'an* or lions typically found at the entrances of ordinary government offices.

If one did not already know the location, one would only assume it was the grand residence of some wealthy family and would never suspect that this was the famous Taiping Division headquarters.

"Hmm, very low-profile. I like this style," Su Mu thought to himself, nodding slightly.

He straightened his clothes, stepped forward, and knocked on the heavy black gates.

*Thud! Thud! Thud!*

After a moment of waiting, the two heavy black doors creaked open a crack, and a man dressed as a laborer walked out.

"Who are you looking for?" the man asked, looking at Su Mu with some confusion.

"I am looking for an official, likely in his twenties..." Su Mu described the appearance of "Brother Taiping." "I have an appointment with him; he told me to come find him."

Su Mu added that last part as a supplement. If he hadn't said so, the man likely wouldn't have let him in.

"Do you know the official's title? There are several officials in our Wuling City Taiping Division who fit that description," the laborer asked, his attitude softening significantly upon hearing that Su Mu had been invited by an official.

"He did not tell me his title, only that I should come to the Taiping Division to find him," Su Mu said, shaking his head. "Are there many officials in the Wuling Taiping Division? Would it be too much trouble to let me go in and look for him?"

"I'm afraid that won't do," the laborer said, shaking his head. "There has been abnormal demonic activity in the Daxing Mountains outside the city, so the officials have all gone to investigate. If I don't know which official invited you, I cannot let you in."

"They aren't here?" Su Mu was stunned. He had finally made it into the inner city, only to potentially come up empty-handed?

"You may leave your name and residence. Once the officials return, I will ask for instructions and have someone notify you," the laborer said politely.

"I suppose that is the only way," Su Mu mused for a moment. "This manual for saber techniques was left to me by that official. If you give this to him, he will know. My name is Su Mu, and I am currently serving in the South City Division. When the officials return, please have someone notify me. I will also make time to come back later."

He handed the manual for the *Wave-Subduing Saber Technique* to the laborer as proof. Since he had already mastered this technique, the manual was of no further use to him.

The laborer took the manual, his attitude becoming even more cordial.

"You don't need to call me 'big brother'; I am merely a laborer for the Taiping Division," he said with a smile. "Don't worry, I will certainly report this promptly."

Watching the heavy black gates close once more, Su Mu couldn't help but feel a sense of profound realization.

A mere laborer possessed the cultivation of the second stage of Body Tempering; in the outer city, such a person would be at least a squad leader, or perhaps even have a chance at becoming a constable. Yet here in the Taiping Division, he was only a laborer.

The Taiping Division was indeed where he belonged.

As Su Mu stepped down the stairs, preparing to return to the outer city, two men suddenly approached him.

"Su Mu, my young master requests your presence."

The two men flanked him, one on each side, in a formation that suggested if Su Mu refused, they would take him by force.

"Who is your young master?" Su Mu glanced at them. Their skin was coarse, showing clear signs of skin-tempering; they were at least Skin-Tempering stage martial artists.

The fact that they called out his name immediately showed they had come prepared. While he was not afraid, it would not be wise to start a fight in the inner city.

"You will know once you arrive," the man on the right said. "Please, follow us."

After a brief hesitation, Su Mu decided he might as well see who it was.

"Lead the way."