Clad in a black Official's Uniform, Zheng Jun sat at the high table in the duty room, his eyes as cold and sharp as a falcon's as he surveyed the men below.
With slender, elegant fingers, he drummed against the table. TAP TAP TAP.
Hearing the tapping, which sounded like a funeral knell, a Black Official standing beside him shivered and immediately began the roll call.
"Shen Bohan!"
"Wang Lai!"
"Zhao Peng!"
"..."
Name after name spilled from the Black Official's mouth. Each one was met with a crisp "Here."
Even Wang Lai, who was kneeling on the ground with sore knees, forced through the burning pain in his face and shouted his presence. Soon, the roll call was finished.
The Black Official responsible for the attendance flashed a sycophantic smile and presented the roster with both hands. "Squad Leader, the roll call is complete."
"Why are three missing?" Zheng Jun didn't even glance at the roster. "Do they have other duties?" he asked flatly.
The Strong Shift had a total of twenty-seven men. Eighteen were present, and another six were guarding the prison and the storehouse, leaving exactly three unaccounted for.
Hearing Zheng Jun's inquiry, the Black Official cursed inwardly before replying cautiously, "To report to the Squad Leader... Zhao Wen, Song Yi, and He Binhong all claimed to be sick."
"Squad Leader, those three usually hobnobbed with Zhao Da! They found out you became the Squad Leader today, so they deliberately conspired to skip work!" Sensing an opportunity, Wang Lai spoke up hastily from the floor to show his loyalty. "They even tried to recruit me! But I didn't agree. In my eyes, you are a true hero, Squad Leader. You're a thousand—no, a million times better than that Zhao Da!"
Zheng Jun couldn't help but chuckle at Wang Lai's opportunistic flattery. Still, being new here, he actually needed opportunists like this.
"Wang Lai, get up and take a seat."
Zheng Jun nodded slightly. Overjoyed, Wang Lai immediately scrambled to his feet and carefully sat in a corner chair.
Zheng Jun's expression remained perfectly calm. "I think those three won't need to come in anymore," he said casually. "Recruit two replacements from the White Servants to fill their vacancies."
White Servants were the extra-budgetary constables within the Government Office. Black Officials, clerks, and catchers were all recruited according to a strict quota; anyone employed outside this quota was called a White Servant. Those who served as White Servants were mostly scoundrels. However, since the state and county affairs were complex and labor-intensive, their manpower was a necessity.
With that said, Zheng Jun revealed a cold, sinister smile. He looked at the assembled Black Officials. "Who approves? Who objects?"
"We agree!"
It was somewhat against the rules. But with Squad Leader Zheng displaying such overwhelming authority, who would dare say otherwise?
Hearing their response, Zheng Jun nodded. "Wang Lai, take the lead on this. Write a petition, have everyone sign it, and then present it to me." He then stood up, grabbed his Ceremonial Saber, and slid it into its scabbard. "It's getting late. Time for the night patrol."
How could the Black Officials dare disobey? They all rose to follow him out of the duty room.
Originally, the Strong Shift didn't have duties like night patrols. But the recent string of murders in Black Mountain County had escalated, throwing the populace into panic. As a result, the Three Squads and Six Departments all had to stay busy through the night. As the Squad Leader of the Strong Shift, Zheng Jun naturally had to shoulder the heavy responsibility of the patrol.
The night was pitch black, with fierce, chilling winds howling outside. Despite the dead of night, Zheng Jun cut an incredibly imposing figure. Two Black Officials led the way with lit lanterns, while over a dozen more followed behind him wielding sabers and batons. Marching through the empty streets, their procession was awe-inspiring.
"By using such swift and ruthless measures, I've temporarily suppressed the Black Officials and laborers of the Strong Shift. Tomorrow, I'll submit a request to transfer my brother-in-law here so we can coordinate from the inside out," Zheng Jun thought.
He knew the situation within the Strong Shift was actually quite complicated. Zhao Da had been its Squad Leader for a good four or five years, naturally building a large circle of cronies who drank with him day and night. Besides the Black Officials in the squad, many White Servants were also close to Zhao Da. Not to mention the Defense League Laborers across the various townships—Zheng Jun didn't know a single one of them. And among them, there was no shortage of Blood Refining Martial Artists.
Facing these people, Zheng Jun felt that relying solely on his Cloak and Dagger Technique might leave him stretched thin. If he used the Wave-Treading Saber... Zheng Jun dared to unleash it in front of mere Officials, but in front of Blood Refining Martial Artists, he didn't want to use it unless absolutely necessary.
As long as he hadn't yet achieved dominance across the eight hundred miles of Black Mountain County, he would absolutely never let anyone know that he possessed a Minor Achievement level Wave-Treading Blade Technique!
But speaking of the Wave-Treading Saber, could its derived trait have any novel applications? After all, the trait derived from the Cloak and Dagger made it feel as though he had suddenly gained over a decade of saber experience. His technique was incredibly proficient. Combined with the calluses he had ground out over these past few days, anyone who didn't know better would genuinely believe he had practiced the saber since childhood. Because of this, the "Versatile Agility" trait was bound to have its own unique uses.
At this thought, Zheng Jun focused his mind, and a line of small, ink-wash text suddenly materialized before his eyes.
[Trait: Versatile Agility.]
[Effect: Can break through the Perfection level...]
Zheng Jun read it carefully, and once he finished, he understood a great deal.
On one hand, this "Versatile Agility" trait could be used to break through to the Perfection level in the Lightweight Step Technique or other Martial Arts that focused on grace and nimbleness. On the other hand, practicing those same graceful and nimble Martial Arts would grant a certain bonus to his repayment progress.
"This trait really is incredibly useful," he mused internally.
Just then, he suddenly detected the heavy scent of blood ahead. Instantly on high alert, he looked up, only to see a figure kneeling on the ground with its back facing them.
"Hmm?" Zheng Jun furrowed his brow.
The two Black Officials leading the way also spotted the figure and immediately barked, "Where did this petty thief come from?! Why aren't you sleeping at this hour? What are you doing here? Get up!"
Saying so, one of them stepped forward to give the figure a shove. However, the moment the lantern-bearing Black Official pushed the shoulder of the kneeling figure in the center of the alley, its body violently pitched forward. In the next second, its head rolled right off its neck. ROLL ROLL.
It had been decapitated!
"Ah?!"
The Black Official who pushed the figure was utterly stunned. Before he could even react, a Wide-Backed Saber slashed down!
SQUELCH!
Hot blood sprayed outward as the Black Official was cleaved cleanly in half!
After chopping down the point man, a figure leaped down from the alley wall. His entire body was a deep, flush red, with bulging blue veins wriggling beneath his skin like loaches. His True Qi had completely erupted. After a successful first strike, the figure wielding the Wide-Backed Saber didn't hesitate for a moment. Transforming into an almost man-eating streak of blood-red light, he hurtled straight toward Zheng Jun and swung his blade!
A slash lashed out. The bloody light materialized into something tangible!
"A Qi Storage Martial Artist?!"
The overwhelming sense of crisis suddenly filled Zheng Jun with shock. "No, although he has stored some True Qi, it doesn't seem complete!" he realized.
The attacker was definitely Lou Wei, but Zheng Jun had no time to ponder what Realm Lou Wei had reached. Because the first Black Official killed had been barely three or four meters away, he was about to face Lou Wei's Wide-Backed Saber head-on!
CLANG!
Without hesitation, Zheng Jun drew his Ceremonial Saber!
Watching Lou Wei lunge at him, Zheng Jun immediately recognized exactly which stance of the Wave-Treading Saber he was using. His heart steadied. Surging with vigorous Qi and Blood, he stepped forward to meet the blade.
The Wave-Treading Saber was heavy and powerful; a single downward slash carried the crushing weight of a mountain. Sometimes, even Martial Artists in the same Realm couldn't withstand its monstrous pressure, and most of the time, one had to steer clear of its edge.
But this lunging stance within the Wave-Treading Saber was one of its few moves that didn't actually rely on heavy force.
Zheng Jun was confident he could block it!