Free Web NovelChapter 137: Chapter 106: Let the Ill Wind Blow In
"Th-This is..."
In the rear hall of the county yamen, Wu Kuang, who had been sitting peacefully and sipping tea, shot to his feet. Astonishment instantly flooded his face, and his brow furrowed deeply as Chen Sheng strode in, carrying the corpse of a dwarf.
He was aware of and supported Chen Sheng’s recent military expedition to eliminate the surrounding water bandits.
After all, with Chen Sheng’s Innate Realm Cultivation, he believed that crushing a mob of disorganized ruffians would be a simple matter, an effortless victory.
However, his heart lurched when his gaze fell upon the clearly unusual corpse in Chen Sheng’s hands. ’Why would an Innate Powerhouse bother to personally carry back the body of a common water bandit?’
Chen Sheng casually tossed the dwarf’s corpse onto the bluestone floor of the hall, where it landed with a dull thud.
"This was the Innate Envoy sent to Changshan by the Cyan Flood Dragon Alliance. He has been executed."
"In-Innate?! Sent by the Cyan Flood Dragon Alliance?"
Hearing this, Wu Kuang’s pupils contracted, and he instinctively sucked in a sharp breath.
He then hurried forward a couple of steps and bent down to carefully examine the body on the ground, whose eyes were still open in death. The more he looked, the more alarmed he became, unable to suppress the shock roiling within him. He blurted out subconsciously:
"Did... did you kill him yourself?"
"Of course."
Chen Sheng gave a faint smile and leisurely sat down in a nearby pearwood chair, his posture relaxed.
"You really killed him?!"
Wu Kuang was still in disbelief, his gaze darting between Chen Sheng and the corpse, his eyes filled with shock.
’Chen Sheng... actually killed another Innate Powerhouse!’
This sudden news sent Wu Kuang’s mind reeling, making it impossible for him to calm down.
He couldn’t help but recall the scene a few months ago when Chen Sheng had used money to buy an official post from him.
Back then, while he had admired the young man’s disposition and methods, it had been just that—admiration. Who could have predicted that in just a few short months, this hidden dragon would soar to the heavens, not only breaking through to the Innate Realm himself but also brazenly slaying a powerful enemy of the same level?
For a moment, a thousand complex emotions churned within Wu Kuang, too tangled to put into words.
He remained silent for a long while before finally letting out a long, slow breath and sighing with emotion.
"Chen Sheng, oh, Chen Sheng... you truly never cease to amaze me."
Wu Kuang then paused, his tone growing solemn. "It seems what I said before was true. The shallow waters of Changshan are indeed too small to hold you. Only a place like the Prefecture City, where the winds of change gather, will allow you to truly display your talents."
Next, Wu Kuang’s gaze shifted to the corpse on the floor as he continued:
"As for this man, as long as we can verify his identity as an envoy of the Cyan Flood Dragon Alliance, the merit of slaying an Innate is a great achievement. I will personally draft a report later and send it via expedited post to the Prefecture City to request a reward for you."
"Regarding your future, right after you broke through, I wrote a letter detailing your situation and delivered it to Governor Nie of the Jingwu Bureau. Perhaps there will be some news from the Prefecture City very soon." fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm
"I appreciate you going to the trouble of planning on my behalf, sir." Chen Sheng cupped his hands in a solemn salute.
Afterwards, Wu Kuang, his interest piqued, asked about the details of Chen Sheng’s fight with the Innate Powerhouse.
Though Chen Sheng only gave a brief account, it was enough to make Wu Kuang hold his breath at times and clap his hands at others. In the end, he couldn’t help but burst into laughter so loud it seemed to shake the roof tiles:
"Excellent! A fine kill! If you can use this opportunity to wipe out the bandit scourge that has plagued Changshan for years, it will make my job of governing this place much easier in the future. In a way, you’d be doing me a great favor."
After laughing, Wu Kuang seemed to recall something. A shrewd glint flashed in his eyes as he lowered his voice.
"Right, there’s another ’small matter’... Ever since you annihilated the Huang Family with an iron fist and terrified the entire county, all the powers in Changshan County, big and small, have been living in constant fear. They’ve been trying all sorts of ways to send us ’tokens of their sincerity’."
"Now that you’re about to be promoted, why not... go with the flow and rake in one last haul? We can consider it their farewell gift to you."
"Sir, your words resonate deeply with me."
Chen Sheng’s lips curved into a slight smile; he had no objection to the proposal.
Extorting these local tycoons was already part of Chen Sheng’s plan.
He had held back before, firstly because he was focused on increasing his strength and eliminating the bandits, and secondly because he intended to ’fatten them up before the slaughter,’ while further intimidating these local snakes.
Now, two of the Three Clans of Changshan were gone, the four major gangs had all but vanished, and the water bandits that had been a menace for years had been uprooted. It was indeed time for the "harvest."
’After so long spent in bitter cultivation and fierce battles, it’s time to enjoy the ’sweet fruits’ that power brings.’
"Then we shall..."
Wu Kuang looked at Chen Sheng, a knowing smile on his face.
Chen Sheng understood perfectly and picked up the thread, his tone tinged with a playful and all-controlling confidence.
"Throw the gates wide open, and let all the ill winds of Changshan County blow right in."
"Hahaha..."
As Chen Sheng’s words fell, the two men met each other’s gaze, saw the same understanding in each other’s eyes, and couldn’t help but burst into laughter. Their laughter was filled with mutual understanding and the glee of an impending windfall.
"What has the two of you so cheerful?"
Just as the two were laughing and talking, County Magistrate Lin Shou, having received news of Chen Sheng’s triumphant return from fighting the bandits, hurried over to the yamen.
The moment he stepped into the rear hall, he heard their hearty laughter. His heart stirred, and he guessed that Chen Sheng’s operation must have been a resounding success, perhaps even with an unexpected bonus.
"Lin, you’ve come at the perfect time."
Wu Kuang was in high spirits and immediately recounted his and Chen Sheng’s plan to ’open the gates for bribes’ to Lin Shou with a smile.
After listening, Lin Shou was stunned for a moment, then his face broke into a wide grin, and he said, overjoyed:
"Brilliant! This is a wonderful thing! It’s only right. This should have been done long ago."
