Chapter 49: The Soap-Clad God of Death Has Returned

Chapter 49: The Black-Robed God of Slaughter has returned...

"Brother Chen Wu, are you alright?" Beside him, Feng Cheng, clad in iron armor and wielding a long spear, looked toward Chen Wu.

His voice carried an irrepressible excitement.

Chen Wu looked up at the martial guards in black armor surrounding him.

Aside from a few new recruits who had never seen blood and were currently pale as ghosts, everyone else, like Feng Cheng, had a bright glint in their eyes.

Was it because of the killing, or because this slaughter demonstrated the ruthlessness of the Martial Guard Office?

Was this the final lesson Yuan-ge intended to teach him?

Ahead, Zhang Yuan turned his head to look at Chen Wu.

"I have already discussed this with Young Master Tao; I am sending you to the border army for training."

"Today's lesson is to make you understand that all awe stems from slaughter."

"No matter how strong a lion is, when its limbs are bound, it will be eyed by a pack of wolves."

Zhang Yuan's voice was not quiet; he was not just speaking to Chen Wu, but to everyone else as well.

"Our Martial Guard Office is clearly one of the most powerful military forces in the prefectural city, yet we are still looked down upon. It is because we have appeared too mild in our daily affairs, making people think they can ride over our heads."

"Chen Wu, in last night's struggle, if you had displayed the strength of the mid-stage Houtian realm with your very first punch and shattered his bones in one strike, today's events would not have happened."

"Once you reach the border army and clash with the enemy, if you dare to hold back, all we will be left with is your bones returning home."

Zhang Yuan strode forward, his footsteps splashing in the pools of blood.

Reaching the screen wall, he reached out and grabbed the hilt of the long saber he had previously thrown. He gripped it with one hand, exerting force.

*Creak—*

The blade grinding against the wall as it was pulled free caused all the soldiers to widen their eyes.

To pull a saber embedded in a wall with a single hand—just how much strength did that require?

Ahead, Sergeant Qian Mu, Hu Yang, and the others had tense faces, their eyes twitching.

Their cultivation levels were all in the mid-to-late Houtian realm, possessing at least a thousand catties of strength in their hands; only they knew what this feat meant!

To pull a blade with one arm required the strength of an ox!

The strength of an ox in a single arm!

The Xiantian Realm!

No, at this moment, there was no circulation of blood qi or true essence in Zhang Yuan's body; he was relying purely on arm strength to exert the power of an ox.

How was he doing this!

As they watched the blade being slowly withdrawn, everyone felt as if their hearts were being gripped tightly.

In the Great Qin empire, martial arts were supreme; in the end, everything was decided by one's fists.

The strength Zhang Yuan displayed now was reflected in the blood-soaked ground and etched into the hearts of everyone present.

This was exactly what Zhang Yuan needed.

The scene within the Tang family mansion today would be placed under a gag order; even if it were leaked, it could only be discussed in private.

The strength he displayed was seen only by the nearly hundred martial guards present. Even if it were whispered about in private, outsiders would merely dismiss it as boasting.

Who would believe that a powerhouse with the strength of an ox in a single arm existed within the Martial Guard Office?

What Zhang Yuan wanted was deterrence.

He was laying the groundwork for the upcoming expansion of the Martial Guard Office and for his upcoming appointment as the Acting Martial Guard Captain.

With this display of strength alone, no one in the Martial Guard Office would ever dare to question his capability again.

Coupled with the fact that outsiders wouldn't know, but everyone present had witnessed the bloody massacre of the Tang family, no one in the Martial Guard Office would dare to disrespect him, Zhang Erhe, ever again.

The legendary, righteous Zhang Erhe—his reputation was forged in blood.

*Whirr—*

The long saber spun once in Zhang Yuan's hand before he tossed it to Chen Wu.

Chen Wu reached out and caught it, looking up at Zhang Yuan.

This was the first time he had touched this blade.

"This saber once belonged to Lord Yu Lin, the Commander of the Red Scale Army. I give it to you today. I hope you use this blade to achieve great feats on the battlefield; do not fail this battle-hardened edge."

Zhang Yuan's voice was resonant, a hint of expectation shining in his eyes.

Chen Wu was considered one of the most talented disciples of Yulin Academy, alongside Young Master Tao; they had always held high expectations for him.

Clutching the long saber, Chen Wu gripped the hilt with both hands, took a deep breath, and said solemnly, "Chen Wu will not fail your expectations."

——————————————

Squads of martial guards in heavy black armor marched out of the Tang residence, which was already being guarded by the mobilized city patrol and constables wielding water-and-fire staves.

Seeing the cold-faced martial guards in iron armor, the constables instinctively lowered their heads.

The blood flowing from the Tang courtyard had soaked half the alleyway.

Who wouldn't feel a chill in their bones at such a sight?

Chen Wu held the long saber, and Zhang Yuan rested his hand on the hilt at his waist. As the two reached the entrance, they drew the gazes of the constables standing guard.

Zhang Yuan and Chen Wu were the only ones among the martial guards not wearing armor.

"Chen Wu..."

"Z-Zhang, Second Master Zhang—"

Someone recognized Zhang Yuan and Chen Wu, their eyes widening as they stammered.

The blood on their bodies was so thick it had formed dark red scabs.

Just how many people had they killed!

Zhang Yuan stopped his steps and looked to the side.

"Constable Zheng," Zhang Yuan's blood-stained face broke into a smile, one that carried a terrifying, heart-stopping ferocity. "Thank you for your hard work, brothers."

His gaze swept over the constables he had seen earlier in front of the prefectural jail, and he said indifferently, "The Tang family said that we, the black-robed martial guards, are the Emperor's hounds. Naturally, we must show them what the Emperor's hounds are truly like."

These words caused the constables and patrol soldiers at the gate to shudder.

Among them were those who had been whispering behind the backs of the black-robed guards, calling them the Emperor's lapdogs.

Zhang Yuan seemed not to notice their embarrassment. He pointed toward the courtyard behind him, his voice rising slowly: "That Third Master Tang was nailed to the hall. That arrogant Seventh Young Master was split in two."

"This is the consequence of provoking our Martial Guard Office."

"Do you all think I am correct?"

Correct?

Who would dare say otherwise?

Given the current situation, anyone who dared to utter a single word of dissent would be split in two by a saber and tossed into the blood pool in the courtyard. It would be easy to report it as combat casualties and provide twenty taels of compensation; it would be difficult if they were labeled as traitors and executed alongside the others.

Rules are only called rules when everyone follows them.

The Martial Guard Office had just exterminated the entire Tang clan; at this moment, they would not follow rules for anyone.

"Second Master is right. The Tang family was seeking death," Constable Zheng forced a smile onto his face and cupped his hands.

"Yes, seeking death."

The other constables echoed in low voices.

Zhang Yuan nodded, his voice turning cold and sharp: "Brothers, when you conduct the search later, be thorough."

"There are no survivors left inside. Do you understand?"

No survivors left, yet still be thorough in the search?

That meant if they encountered anyone alive, they were to deal with them!

Leave no survivors!

Constable Zheng's face twitched. Looking up at Zhang Yuan's blood-soaked appearance, he couldn't help but lower his head.

"Rest assured, Second Master. I... I understand."

How could he not understand?

The legendary, righteous Second Master Zhang—those constables who had seen Zhang Yuan earlier that morning finally understood the true meaning of the words "legendary and righteous."

Zhang Yuan nodded and, along with Chen Wu, stepped out of the Tang mansion following the tide of iron armor.

It was only after the armored martial guards had formed ranks outside the gate in preparation to depart that several civil officials from the prefectural office approached, tiptoeing as they led several constables and patrol soldiers into the courtyard.

"The Sergeant said that all the executed rebels must be dragged outside to verify their identities."

"Don't touch anything inside the rooms. The Tang family was a prominent household; don't think about slipping anything into your pockets. Today, what is that on the ground? Intestines, uh—"

...

While the scene outside the residence was merely blood flowing, which was unsettling, the scene inside the courtyard was like a Shura field, making one's skin crawl!

Severed torsos and broken limbs.

There were those with necks hacked off, heads separated from bodies; those split in two by a single blow; and bodies broken by crossbow bolts...

It wasn't until the martial guards outside urged them that an old, experienced constable used a door panel to carry the corpses out.

The others had already slumped against the walls, trembling, their legs too weak to stand.

"In the third year of Yuankang, the Guo family in the city rebelled. Back then, the Martial Guard Office didn't have this many people."

"They surrounded the Guo residence, sealed the gates, and killed for an entire night."

The old man speaking wore a cloth robe. Looking at the bodies being carried out of the Tang mansion one after another, his mouth twitched.

"The Black-Robed God of Slaughter... has returned, hasn't he..."

(End of Chapter)