Volume One: Menial Tasks in Changshui County Chapter Forty-Seven: Lofty and Aloof

Wang Yunshan thought it would be wise to stay cautious. After all, his life was his own!

He glanced to his side. Good heavens, truly a sight to behold. Most of the people in the group were standing beside him, all seemingly intent on remaining atop the mountain. The mountain was safer, after all! With so many people, it was clear that some would have to be removed; otherwise, the crowd on the mountain would make it difficult to deal with the sorcerers below.

“In that case, switch places. Those who wished to stay on the mountain will go down, and vice versa,” commanded Chen Xuanfeng.

Hearing this, everyone felt bitter but dared not protest. If it had been Zhou Cheng, they might have argued; Zhou Cheng was never popular in the Monster-Slaying Bureau. But this man before them was one of the Bureau’s leading authorities.

“What’s wrong? Are my orders not effective now? If you want to remain in the Monster-Slaying Bureau, get moving! If not, then get out!” Chen Xuanfeng barked.

Unwilling as they were, the crowd began to descend the mountain. Wang Yunshan felt particularly aggrieved. If only he had chosen the group at the foot of the mountain earlier, he could have stayed on top instead.

……

At the mountain’s peak, the guard Mo Mo set down Lu Jiuzhang and Zhou Cheng.

The moment everyone left the cave, Mo Mo rushed inside. At that point, Zhou Cheng was already gravely wounded. Lu Jiuzhang was not much better. But as a martial artist of the eighth rank, Mo Mo made short work of the three monsters—already dead, now reanimated. In moments, he slew them again and carried Zhou Cheng and Lu Jiuzhang away.

Fearing an ambush, Lu Jiuzhang had Mo Mo bring them to the summit, which was open and unobstructed. Any threat could be spotted instantly.

“The monsters are dead, but they must have been controlled,” Mo Mo said gravely.

“I already guessed as much, but I am curious—who are you?” Zhou Cheng thrust his sword into the ground, leaning on it to stand.

A savior was not necessarily a friend; there could be ulterior motives. Zhou Cheng dared not be careless.

“Ask him,” Mo Mo replied, uninterested in Zhou Cheng, his gaze fixed on Lu Jiuzhang. He had come chiefly for Lu Jiuzhang; saving Zhou Cheng was merely incidental.

“Master Zhou, this is my guard,” Lu Jiuzhang said, mustering borrowed authority.

“Your guard?” Zhou Cheng was surprised. In his impression, the Lu family had no great background. Where had Lu Jiuzhang found such a guard?

“Everyone needs their own secrets,” Lu Jiuzhang replied, lying on the ground with a smile.

At this, Zhou Cheng asked no more.

“When I left, I sensed a martial artist of the eighth rank,” Mo Mo remarked, looking at Lu Jiuzhang.

Eighth rank? Was it Chen Xuanfeng or Yuan Wufeng?

“It should be Director Chen. Lately, all matters in the Monster-Slaying Bureau have been decided by him,” Zhou Cheng analyzed. “With Director Chen here, we shouldn’t have to worry.”

“Let’s find Director Chen, explain the situation, and wait for him to locate the sorcerer. Once he does, the problem will be solved,” Zhou Cheng staggered toward the mountainside.

“Wait!” Lu Jiuzhang rose and stopped Zhou Cheng. “Brother Zhou, I don’t know what your relationship with Director Chen is, but I think we need to consider this carefully.”

“Why so?”

Lu Jiuzhang signaled with his eyes, and Mo Mo instantly blocked Zhou Cheng’s path.

“Master Zhou, do you truly believe today’s events are mere coincidence?” Lu Jiuzhang countered.

“What do you mean?” Zhou Cheng still couldn’t fathom Lu Jiuzhang’s intentions.

“From the extermination at Miaodi Village to today’s encounter with four reanimated monsters—Master Zhou, do you not think these events are targeting us? Or perhaps, targeting me?” Lu Jiuzhang asked.

Zhou Cheng was likely aligned with Chen Xuanfeng. Lu Jiuzhang dared not be careless. If Zhou Cheng joined Chen Xuanfeng and the Bureau’s staff, Chen Xuanfeng would deal with Mo Mo, and the rest would handle him. Against so many, Lu Jiuzhang stood no chance.

“Targeting you? No, how could it be you?” Zhou Cheng protested angrily. “Clearly, it’s targeting me. Were you injured either time?”

“Did you lose an arm?”

“You’re still standing here in one piece!”

That… now that it was said, it seemed to make sense. Zhou Cheng was gravely wounded last time, nearly dying. This time, though his injuries were lighter, he’d still need days to recover.

“Give me a reason,” Lu Jiuzhang pointed his blade at Zhou Cheng.

“A reason? What reason? Are you mad?” Zhou Cheng snapped.

“Give me a reason to believe you are not one of Chen Xuanfeng’s men,” Lu Jiuzhang said quietly. “If you can’t prove it, I won’t spare you.”

At this point, it was time for honesty. Though Zhou Cheng had saved Lu Jiuzhang several times, given the gravity of the matter, Lu Jiuzhang could not afford to be careless. Especially as he bore the blood debt of his elder brother, Lu Huaigu.

“Lu Jiuzhang, this is not something to say lightly,” Zhou Cheng said sternly. “We’re all members of the Monster-Slaying Bureau. What factions are there to speak of?”

“The Bureau in Changshui County is directed by Chief Zhong, under the jurisdiction of Anxi Prefecture’s Bureau. Anxi’s Bureau reports to North Foothills Prefecture, which is governed by the Bureau in Capital Prefecture!”

“The Monster-Slaying Bureau abhors the notion of factions above all.”

This line might fool others, but Lu Jiuzhang responded with gravity. “So you say, but are there truly no factions?”

“The world is ruled by various powers. Are these powers not factions compared to the world? Within each power, there are many departments—is that not a faction within a faction?”

“Within every power, authority is distributed unevenly. How could factions not arise?”

On hearing this, Zhou Cheng fell silent.

“Master Zhou, let’s talk about my elder brother Lu Huaigu. Do you think his death was so simple?” Lu Jiuzhang pressed.

“Lu Huaigu’s death has been settled. It’s not for you to question,” Zhou Cheng retorted.

After all these years, it was their first time discussing such a serious and sensitive subject.

“Why was my brother cremated before being returned? I heard he was poisoned—what is your explanation?” Lu Jiuzhang pressed on.

“His death was too gruesome. To spare his family further grief, his body was cremated before being brought back,” Zhou Cheng explained calmly. “As for the rumors of poisoning, they are nothing but idle talk.”

“Rumors don’t arise without cause. Do you take me for a fool?” Lu Jiuzhang continued, “After his death, I was recruited into the Monster-Slaying Bureau. Looking at the Bureau in Changshui County, there is no precedent for this! Nine people died in the extermination at Miaodi Village—why couldn’t their brothers or relatives join the Bureau? How do you explain that?”

“At that time, you probably didn’t know I could advance to Scholar’s ninth rank! If you had, it would make sense. But then, I was just a nobody.”

“I’m not afraid to admit it; my neighbor Aunt Zhao scolded me as a useless waste and wouldn’t let her daughter near me!”

“If common folk are so dismissive, how much more so would you lofty officials be?”