Chapter 11 - 9: Bounty and the Maiden

Mu City County Government Office.

Back courtyard.

"My brother died such a horrible death! You must catch the killer—I want to skin him alive and tear him apart!"

A strikingly beautiful woman with slightly thin lips stood before Chen Ling, who sat in a grand armchair, tearfully crying out.

"Don’t worry, I’ve already posted a bounty!"

"The killer won’t get away!"

Chen Ling’s gaze was grim. He knew his brother-in-law’s strength—he had already reached the Second-class Expert realm, yet still got killed. That meant the killer was at least a Second-class Expert himself.

This was a huge incident in Mu City. To prevent panic, the killer had to be put on the wanted list.

Besides—

The Cyan Snake Gang was one of Mu City’s two major gangs, and every year they gave plenty of ’tributes’.

"Master, there’s someone asking to see you. Says he saw the killer that night!"

Just then, the lanky Master stepped forward, bowed with fists clasped.

"Oh? Bring him in, quickly!"

Chen Ling’s eyes lit up at the news.

Ma Qian’s eyes widened too.

"Master, I’m Liu Houzi, a member of the Cyan Snake Gang. That night, I had to hit the latrine ’cause of a bad stomach. When I came out, I saw a man with a bow shoot our Gang Leader dead with four arrows, and the thirty-plus gang members around all got killed too!"

Shortly after, a sneaky-looking young man bustled in and saluted Chen Ling with cupped fists.

"Did you see what he looked like?"

Ma Qian hurried up to him, staring at the gang member as she spoke.

"No, he was masked in black. Slim build, carried a bow, and was dead accurate—every shot hit a brother’s throat! Master Ma got hit in the thigh, the shoulder, and right in the eye!"

"But if I saw his back in person, I’d recognize him!"

Liu Houzi said respectfully.

He was full of hope.

Giving clues about the killer could earn him a hundred taels of silver—even if not, ten taels would still be great!

"Good. First, get an artist and have him draw the figure. Post it at the city gates!"

Chen Ling perked up and nodded.

........

East Street.

Five li away from the Ma Family Manor, inside a large courtyard.

The place was jam-packed with seventy to eighty people.

"Ma Zhankui is dead, and the Cyan Snake Gang is finished! From now on, stick with me and you won’t lose out!"

"Now I have a task for you. Go find out who went up Lonely Wolf Mountain at the end of last year! Someone buried a body there—whoever finds this person gets a reward of 100 taels of silver!"

A slim, pale, clean-shaven man in a green robe stood with his hands behind his back, looking over the crowd and speaking in a low voice.

"Master Ling, rest easy. We’ll find out who went up the mountain before and after New Year!"

"Whatever Master Ling needs—we’re on it!"

"........"

The remaining Cyan Snake Gang members had first resisted Ling Ziyu’s pressure, but hearing the reward was 100 taels, their eyes instantly lit up with hope and excitement.

You know—

A family of three only needed 5 taels to live an entire year; a hundred taels could last twenty years!

"Go!"

Ling Ziyu waved his hand.

The crowd quickly dispersed.

"Better to kill the wrong person than miss a single chance to find him!"

Thinking of that item, Ling Ziyu’s eyes flashed with fury.

This guy buried Gao Yang and took that thing, causing him yet another delay—once he’s caught, only grinding his bones to dust will ease the rage in my heart!

......

West side of town.

Black Tiger Gang.

Main hall.

"Brothers, Ma Zhankui of the Cyan Snake Gang has been killed, and his territory’s wide open. This is a golden opportunity for the Black Tiger Gang!"

"Later, I’ll head over to the County Government Office. You all stay ready to take over the old Cyan Snake Gang turf!"

A tall, imposing middle-aged man sat atop a tiger-skin chair, looking at more than a dozen gang members and speaking up.

"Yes, Gang Leader!"

The Black Tiger Gang members shouted in unison.

......

Thirty li upstream from Mu City.

On the Great Yu Canal, more than ten li wide.

A five-story pavillion boat, twenty zhangs long and five zhangs wide, was slowly moving forward.

At the very top stood a jaw-droppingly beautiful girl, seventeen or eighteen, dressed in a pale palace gown, regal and elegant, with two lovely maids standing behind her.

"Miss, wherever we pass, the common folk are still suffering so much!"

One of the maids looked at the beautiful girl and said softly.

"Yes. When times are good, the people suffer. And when times are bad, the people suffer even more!"

The palace-garbed girl nodded, worry deep in her eyes.

Boom!

Boom!

Suddenly, the pavillion boat jolted hard; cups and bowls fell to the floor inside. The girl’s face changed as she looked out the window—downstairs, flames and smoke burst out everywhere!

The whole boat split in two!

The two maids were instantly flung from the broken hull and plunged into the Grand Canal.

"We’re under attack! Under attack!"

"Protect Miss!"

"........"

Below, bodyguards shouted and swords clashed.

"Oh no!"

The palace-garbed girl’s heart lurched; she leaped but a falling railing smashed her, and blood spewed from her mouth as she tumbled into the canal.

"Miss fell in!"

"Miss!"

Seeing her fall in, several guards dove after her, but the rushing waves swallowed her up in an instant.

...........

At the base of Lonely Wolf Mountain.

[Great Dao is Simple: Level 1]

[Lin Chang’sheng: 16/55]

[Cultivation: Second-class (335/2500)]

[Cultivation Technique: Moonlight Breathing Technique (Great Perfection), Sun-Bathing Breathing Technique (Great Perfection)]

[Martial Arts: Archery (Great Perfection), Iron Sand Palm (Great Perfection), Flying Eaves and Light Body Skill (Perfection 52309/62500), Cyan Snake Sword Technique (Great Success 123/12500)]

[Spend some silver taels to simplify cultivation techniques and martial arts, etc.]

[Status: Yin Qi Invasion (Weakened)]

Lin Chang’sheng stood at the spot where Tie Yang and Li San had been killed, watching the corner of his system panel.

Lately, to practice Flying Eaves and Light Body Skill—well, really, to go jogging—he’d been coming out here daily.

His Flying Eaves and Light Body Skill was nearly at Great Perfection.

Even Cyan Snake Sword Technique, after simplifying it into [Observing the Snake], had reached Great Success; as long as he watched a snake slither around, he’d gain experience.

So—

Every morning, Lin Chang’sheng came out here for a run, carrying a cage with a little cyan snake bought in town, running and observing at the same time—killing two birds with one stone!

Both the Flying Eaves and Light Body Skill and the Cyan Snake Sword Technique were gaining EXP fast.

"Huh? Someone got washed up on the beach?"

Suddenly, Lin Chang’sheng spotted a figure on the riverbank—a person in white, hair soaked, lying there motionless. Dead or alive, he couldn’t tell.

He moved closer and found it was a young woman, slender and shapely—looked pretty gorgeous, too.

"Cough, cough!"

Suddenly, the woman in white coughed, water trickling from the corner of her mouth.

"Not dead yet?"

Lin Chang’sheng’s eyes flashed. He stepped up. "Hey, miss, you alright?"

"She probably drank a ton of water. Better help her spit it out!"

Lin Chang’sheng called out for a bit, but the girl didn’t wake, so he muttered to himself.

With that—

He stepped up, lifted her two feet, gave her a good shake—and the girl let out a loud "waah," vomiting up a huge mouthful of water. She still hadn’t come to, but her heartbeat was getting stronger.

Seeing she was still out cold, Lin Chang’sheng started some CPR chest compressions for her.