Yan Ru Shi’s schedule was very tight today.
She needed to finish inspecting Pingcheng’s affairs before noon, otherwise the midday Thieves’ House meeting would be delayed.
Just by glancing through the ledgers, Yan Ru Shi could tell how much this group had embezzled.
But as long as it wasn’t too egregious, Yan Ru Shi didn’t intend to pursue it—or pursuing it wouldn’t help.
If you want to manage the place, you have to use these people, whether they’re Zhongyuan or Northern Border natives; it’s the same—no matter how high their salary is, they’d still embezzle.
At most Yan Ru Shi would kill a few without backing, and those with connections… they’d sacrifice a few lackeys for her to kill.
Of course, this only applied to land, silver, and other matters unrelated to spiritual cultivation.
If anyone dared embezzle Spirit Jade from the Secret Realm, Yan Ru Shi wouldn’t hesitate to summon local troops to suppress them—even His Majesty would support her decision.
Looking at the officials before her who were eager to please yet completely indifferent to the well‑being of the people, Yan Ru Shi sighed inwardly.
She had unexpectedly encountered a highly gifted Zhongyuan native who had transferred to become a messenger at a very young age.
A messenger of this caliber carried far more prestige than the so‑called “noble messengers” padded with secret manuals.
With a bit more training, he should reach second transfer within five years.
If within ten years he reached third transfer, he would inevitably become a pillar of Great Qi.
Yan Ru Shi pondered whether to inform His Majesty.
If His Majesty knew of him, perhaps he would be favored—but it was also possible…
A clear and piercing ring of steel, and the ripples of spiritual power radiated outward, instantly informing Yan Ru Shi of what had occurred—someone was using a token!
“Protect the County Lord!”
Yan Ru Shi felt no fear.
She carried a defensive token; even an average third‑transfer could hardly break through her defenses in one strike.
Her sight pierced through the crowd to the open space at the entrance of the instance.
A tall and imposing man had drawn a straight blade.
In the direction the straight blade pointed, several of the Hundred‑Ward Riders were halved at the waist, their innards and blood spraying across the ground!
Yet the Ghostly Knight at whom the blade was pointed still stood firm.
Black mist like armor shielded him from the blade’s frigid flash!
“How dare you assassinate the Hundred‑Ward Banner Leader!” Wuwan Liu’s angry voice contained a hint of excitement.
“Crossbowmen, don’t mind me—shoot him!”
As he spoke, he drew Spirit Jade from his bosom.
In the blink of an eye, four Spirit Jade pieces crumbled to dust, dispersing and representing that Wuwan Liu had restored 4 points of spiritual power!
Yan Ru Shi’s voice echoed through the barrier.
“Stop now and I can still spare your life!”
A blade flash was the man’s response!
At the moment of being struck, the mist around Wuwan Liu surged thicker.
He realized something and tried to retreat—but called out, “Shoot him!”
Dozens of heavy crossbows atop the barrier fired.
Yan Ru Shi did not stop them—
Setting aside that Wuwan Liu was of the Northern Border and Yan San was from Zhongyuan—even if Wuwan Liu was at fault, she could not simply watch him be cut down in public.
Wuwan Liu represented the Hundred‑Ward Riders, the prestige of the imperial guard.
He could only die in battle or through judgment—not through such a sullied vendetta that would defile Great Qi’s dignity!
The Han man closed in on Wuwan Liu and struck a third blade flash!
Though many arrows were blocked by the blade lights and by Wuwan Liu, over a dozen still struck the Han man, turning him into a porcupine of metal!
A gruesome scream echoed in the air—but it did not come from the Han man; it was Wuwan Liu’s!
“His token’s damage stacks—each strike grows stronger!”
A horrific wound opened across Wuwan Liu’s abdomen, intestines spilling out along the gash.
But at that moment, Wuwan Liu became resolute.
He drew the long blade at his waist.
He was originally a brave Hundred‑Ward Rider from the Northern Border.
He had only fled because he thought Yan San could not break through his defenses.
But wounded, his ferocity was unleashed.
A normal person mortally wounded would collapse from cold and shock.
But Wuwan Liu was a first‑transfer messenger with nearly 10 points of qi and blood.
His surging life force suppressed his pain and gave him the strength to counterattack!
Yet even such a ferocious man crawling from a pile of corpses… when he saw before him a man wholly pierced by arrows yet expressionless and steadily gripping his straight blade…
An ineffable terror and chill instantly gripped his heart.
A brutal fourth strike!
Meanwhile, the second unit of crossbowmen, having learned that blade flashes deflected bolts, deliberately waited for Yan San’s blade flash before shooting.
Thirty‑three strands of steel crossbow bolts all pierced through Yan San’s flesh!
Yet the first to fall was not Yan San’s body—it was Wuwan Liu’s head.
The Ghostly Mask still clung tightly to his face, seeming to have fused into one.
But even a Ghostly Knight could not withstand the searing Moonring that slashed four times in a row.
Yan Ru Shi pushed through the crowd.
Ignoring the generals’ and warriors’ attempts to stop her, she insisted on approaching the tall man still standing in the center of the clearing.
He no longer looked human.
The crossbow bolts had pierced nearly every part of his body.
There wasn’t a single piece of intact flesh on his face.
It looked as if there was more iron than flesh in him.
Yan Ru Shi truly couldn’t understand.
“I cleared your name, gave you justice, compensated your loss, pointed out your future, and fulfilled your request—why did you still insist on killing him?”
The man gave no reply.
For a moment, Yan Ru Shi thought he was already dead.
But just as she turned around, she heard a faint laugh from behind.
The man collapsed with a loud crash.
Blood surged from his wounds, pooling into a red pond on the ground.
Yet the corner of his mouth, pierced by arrows, lifted ever so slightly, as if he were smiling.
Yan Ru Shi stared at this scene.
Countless voices surrounded her, but she couldn’t make out a single word.
The scorching sun hung above her, but she felt cold to the bone.
“Still haven’t found it?”
“County Lord, give us a little more time—we will definitely—”
“Forget it, no need. Even if you find it, it’s just a first‑transfer token. You may leave.”
Inside the command building of Pingcheng’s military camp, Yan Ru Shi waved off the military secretary.
She signaled the warriors to guard the door and not let anyone in.
Then she opened a chest and wardrobe, undressed, and changed into a White Fox mask and clothing made from ordinary Great Qi fabric.
Only while undressing, she was so distracted she nearly removed her chest wrap as well.
What happened today had shaken her greatly.
Someone had been willing to disregard their future, disregard life and death, just to seek justice, to vent their anger.
How many such people were still in Great Qi?
And Yan San was a strong and powerful man.
If she hadn’t happened to be present today, he might have been framed.
Were incidents of Zhongyuan people being oppressed and framed happening every day across Great Qi?
Were there people like Yan San born every day, waiting for a chance to reclaim justice?
In comparison, Yan San’s straight blade token, though a new kind she’d never seen before, was not all that important.
Troubled by these thoughts, Yan Ru Shi closed her eyes and silently recited “Thieves’ House.”
With a slight tremor, when she opened her eyes again, she was already in her private room at the Thieves’ House.
Pushing the door open, she found the others already seated.
She quickly put on an apologetic expression, opened her fan, and smiled. Thɪs chapter is updated by 𝕟𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕝✦𝘧𝙞𝙧𝙚✦𝕟𝕖𝕥
“Sorry, the girls were too clingy—I was a little late—”
Her voice came to an abrupt stop.
Her eyes locked onto Yellow Dog’s direction.
Yellow Dog noticed her gaze and asked, “What’s wrong?”
“Oh, just saw you brought a blade, and only then did I realize we’re allowed to bring weapons here.”
Yan Ru Shi casually sat down.
“Next time, I’ll bring a blade too.”
“I tried that,” Red Snake Shang Xinlei said, laying a small tablecloth on the stone table, taking out a teacup and kettle, and sipping tea as she spoke.
“This place is just like the main city—tokens can’t be activated.”
“For safety, keep at least three steps apart from each other,” Black Wolf Medicine Master Wen said.
“Sudden close contact will be treated as hostility.”
Yan Ru Shi fanned herself, her gaze skimming over Yellow Dog’s blade like a dragonfly touching water.
It was a White Iron Straight Blade.