Martial Cultivator

On this snowy night, for the officials of the Left Guard’s office, it was destined to be nervous and thrilling.

Officials began to apprehend people based on the list in the book. Naturally, many chose to immediately fight to the death. Thus, a bloody battle erupted at the Left Guard’s office, with blood staining the white snow, creating a somewhat eerie sight. However, the snow continued to fall, and before long, it would naturally cover everything.

The spies hidden within the Left Guard’s office had limited options when facing the entire Left Guard. The battle quickly subsided, and the officials of the Left Guard began to clean up the office.

Weng Quan scooted closer, covered in blood, having been stained by the blood of many former colleagues.

Chen Chao looked at him and asked, ”Somewhat unbearable?”

Weng Quan lowered his voice and said, ”After all, we’ve been colleagues for so many years. How can there be no sentiment?”

Chen Chao patted his shoulder and said with vicissitudes of emotion, ”You may consider them as brothers, but they may not necessarily see you the same way. In the entire Great Liang Dynasty, the spies in our Left Guard’s office were actually still in the minority. I don’t know how many the other offices have. If one day we have to expose all these spies, I’m afraid the entire Divine Capital will be stained with blood.”

Weng Quan looked at Chen Chao, understanding that these were harsh but truthful words. Yet, he still felt a bit reluctant.

Chen Chao changed the subject, ”I killed so many people today. I just hope that when Lord Song returns, he won’t want to hack me to death with a single stroke.”

Lord Song Lian was currently still in the Northern Frontier. Although the great battle was nearing its end, it had not concluded yet, and he could not return at this moment.

Suddenly, Weng Quan said, ”Commander Chen, there’s a question this lowly official has been wanting to ask.”

Chen Chao did not turn around, he just watched the busy officials. Those Left Guard officers who had not left were also secretly sizing up this young commander who had reclaimed the authority of the Left Guard in just half a night. After experiencing the events before, everyone knew Lin Shan was a spy planted by the foreign cultivators, so he naturally deserved to die. Even Lin Shan’s trusted followers could only maintain silence at this point. In fact, they could only hope that Chen Chao would not use this opportunity to carry out a purge and turn the entire Left Guard into his own people.

Chen Chao looked at the Left Guard officers standing not far away and said calmly, ”This commander has no interest in purging the Left Guard or installing my own trusted followers. As long as everyone hasn’t done anything prohibited by the laws of Great Liang, there’s no need to worry.”

Chen Chao looked at those officials. The first sentence he said helped them to calm down.

”Lord Commander is benevolent, we definitely won’t let Lord Commander down!”

People spoke up one after another, feeling more at ease.

Chen Chao did not react to this generic answer, only calmly stating, ”Everything in the Left Guard remains as usual. Without this commander’s orders, all patrols and major Left Guard matters are not to be changed. In other words, what the Left Guard was doing before, continue doing as it is.”

When he said this, Chen Chao’s gaze swept over the crowd, finally resting on the last corpse that had not been dragged away.

Everyone followed this young commander’s gaze and felt an inexplicable chill.

This was a day of heavy snowfall, but being martial artists, they would not typically feel the cold. However, at this moment, they all felt a slight stiffness in their bodies and a piercing chill.

Though Chen Chao did not explicitly state the outcome, everyone understood it.

Right now, in the Left Guard, refusing to comply with this commander would lead to an evident outcome.

After saying these words, Chen Chao waved his hand, and the officials dispersed. The vacant positions left by the ousted Left Guard officers would naturally be replaced by someone. It was long arranged, there was no need for further discussion. The Left Guard continued its operations as usual, no problems would crop up.

At this point, Chen Chao slowly said, ”Never underestimate the Warden’s Office. It may not seem to compete in anything, simply because there’s nothing significant for them to vie for. But if you think this office is useless, deaf, and mute, you are gravely mistaken. As for why the events of today happened, I can only tell you that the current Divine Capital is a large chess game. We’re all pieces on the board. I don’t actually care who wins or loses in the end. The only thing I care about is the life or death of the Left Guard, whether we, the pieces, can live to see the end of this game.”

The Left Guard was handed to him personally by Commander Song Lian initially. Now, Chen Chao and the Left Guard were both caught up in this game. Regardless of his own future, keeping the Left Guard alive was something he ought to do.

Listening to these words, Weng Quan felt somewhat relieved. ”It’s a good thing that Commander Song handed the Left Guard over to Commander Chen back then.”

Chen Chao looked at Weng Quan and suddenly asked, ”Is that carriage still in the Left Guard now?”

Weng Quan was puzzled but nodded. In his heart, he was thinking: turns out that this commander in front of him was indeed a sentimental person.

”Later, when I’m not in the office, you’ll temporarily act as a proxy and handle the affairs of the Left Guard. Don’t worry too much. Remember four words: everything remains the same.”

Chen Chao looked towards the front entrance of the office. In the current freezing weather, it was also the middle of the night, under normal circumstances, no one would choose to come here at this hour. But was the current Divine Capital still the usual Divine Capital?

Weng Quan nodded in puzzlement, refraining from asking more questions. Despite his straightforward nature, he was not a fool. He knew what to say and what not to say after so many years in the Left Guard.

Facing Weng Quan’s curious gaze, Chen Chao just shook his head, not intending to speak much.

At this moment, a figure appeared at the entrance of the Left Guard’s office. The Left Guard officials, however, did not seem to notice the arrival at all.

Chen Chao raised his head, his eyes showing a complex expression.

That person did not walk over, but remained standing at the entrance, outside the threshold, and said calmly, ”Commander Chen, could you come out for a moment?”

Chen Chao did not refuse and stood up, walking towards the door.

…………

An ordinary carriage had been waiting at the end of the street outside the Left Guard for a long time. The coachman had a sturdy figure, wearing only a thin shirt despite the cold winter night. Yet, these clothes perfectly outlined the muscles and contours of his body.

His body seemed to be forged out of steel. Every inch of skin seemed to contain immense power. At this moment, he was just leaning on the carriage, his eyes narrowed slightly as he rested. His blood vitality was restrained, akin to a slumbering wild beast.

When the young man wearing black official robes appeared at the other end of the street, the man opened his eyes, and his gaze fell on the young man.

Chen Chao sensed someone looking at him from afar and also instinctively looked up. However, in the brief moment when their eyes met, Chen Chao suddenly became alert. Subconsciously, his hand fell to the hilt of his saber. But in an instant, that terrifying aura suddenly dissipated, leaving him feeling somewhat perplexed.

It was as if everything that happened just now had never occurred.

Chen Chao followed the person to the front of the carriage, casting a glance at that seemingly ordinary coachman. Then, his peripheral vision caught sight of a special flower mark on the side of the carriage.

The mark was very strange. It was a small purple flower of a rare variety.

Chen Chao withdrew his gaze and did not speak.

The person approached the front of the carriage, bowed slightly, and said humbly, ”Your Excellency, he is here.”

”Let him come up.”

A lazy voice echoed from inside the carriage. It was a woman’s voice.

Chen Chao felt somewhat dazed. Tonight, many people in the Divine Capital would definitely want to meet him. But in reality, the two most important figures should be the First Prince and the Second Prince. Chen Chao also assumed that one of the princes should be inside this carriage.

However, it turned out to be a woman...

”Commander Chen.”

Seeing that Chen Chao was somewhat dazed, that person quickly urged in a low voice.

The man driving the carriage had already jumped down, standing on the side. However, the moment he stood up, he appeared even taller; like a small mountain. Chen Chao sensed a hint of a murderous aura and felt that the man in front of him should be a veteran soldier who had retired from the battlefield. Most martial powerhouses chose to leave the battlefield early because they were severely injured and could no longer sustain the intense fighting on the battlefield. However, the man did not seem like someone who had suffered severe injuries.

Chen Chao returned to his senses and looked at the man again, feeling a bit hesitant. After a moment, he still boarded the carriage.

Opening the curtain, Chen Chao subconsciously furrowed his brows. The interior of the carriage was much larger than it appeared from the outside, it could actually accommodate a bed.

Through the veil, he could vaguely see a voluptuous woman lying on the bed. She lay on her side, resting on a jade pillow, her massive buxom heaving. Unfortunately, it was challenging to see clearly through the veil. Two slender fair legs were casually crossed and partially revealed under the light gauze; partly hidden and partly visible.