Translator: Myuu Editor: Myuu
On the 30th day of the tenth lunar month at night, the fire Yan Liqiang had started in the Shatu community had once again caused an uproar in Pingxi City.
People who initially thought that King Cobra had left long ago only realized now that King Cobra had never left. Not only that, he once again committed a crime which was a hundred times crazier than the last when he had killed Wang Haofei at the Plum Gardens.
King Cobra had burned most of the important supplies in the Shatu people’s warehouse to the ground in Pingxi City. The amount of silver that those Shatu people lost was difficult to calculate. Not only that, King Cobra continued his massacre on the Shatu people’s territory with a warbow.
King Cobra might have only killed a few dozen Shatu people, but along with the different rumors that were appearing, the figure was rapidly shooting up. In just a short two days, the number of Shatu people he had killed had already risen to more than three hundred from the version he had heard.
One of the most outrageous rumors said that when King Cobra set the warehouse on fire, there were actually more than two hundred Shatu people sleeping in there and none of them managed to escape the fire.
As supporting evidence to this rumor, it was said that when the guards in Pingxi City realized that the Shatu people’s warehouse was on fire that night, there was already a battalion of guards rushing somewhere near the burning warehouse in the Shatu community. However, they were stopped by those Shatu people who didn’t want the guards in Pingxi City anywhere near their burning warehouse. Even when they were finally cleaning up the warehouse in the end, they still didn’t allow the guards to come close. The reason behind their action was that they didn’t want others in Pingxi City to know that King Cobra burned more than two hundred Shatu people to death in the warehouse.
This rumor was so vivid and realistic that many people in Pingxi City actually believed it. However, Yan Liqiang knew that the thing about two hundred Shatu people being burned alive in the warehouse was total nonsense. There was only one reason why the Shatu people didn’t want the guards of Pingxi City anywhere near that warehouse — they didn’t want them to discover the secret of that arsenal beneath the warehouse to avoid more trouble.
The fire from that evening lasted nearly the entire night. Under such high temperature, even steel could have melted at the scene. Therefore, without a doubt, everything hidden in the weapon storage at the bottom of that warehouse basically turned into scrap with nothing much left. This was indeed the biggest loss to the Shatu people.
The Shatu people thought their secret was safe, but Yan Liqiang stole a warbow from their warehouse last night and discarded that warbow somewhere near the end of the eastern side of the Nine Dragons Bridge. That warbow had a distinct mark that represented the Gan Province’s Weaponsmiths Quarter. Therefore, it was a very important clue. The first to arrive at the Nine Dragons Bridge that night were the guards in the city. If this warbow fell into their hands, the wiser among their garrison would probably figure something out from that warbow. This was the most he could do at this point in time, as a friendly reminder…
The Shatu people were colluding with the Ye Clan. Now that he had done something like this on the Shatu people’s territory in Pingxi City, whether the Shatu people would make a fuss over it or not, as long as King Cobra wasn’t brought to justice, Pingxi Prefectural Governor Ye Tiancheng would be caught in the middle and he would face immense pressure from all directions…
Therefore, ever since the 31st day of the tenth lunar month, all of Pingxi City was restless and filled with people who were searching for King Cobra.
All the bailiffs in the Law Enforcement Office, the soldiers from the defensive military barracks in Pingxi City, the rogues and lower-ranking officials in the city, and the students of the martial arts academy were mobilized to search high and low for King Cobra. Those inspections performed on anyone leaving the city grew increasingly strict to an unimaginable extent. Individuals were not only inspected — even the bags they brought along with them had to be checked. All carriages and goods leaving the city were also inspected.
On the morning of the first day of the eleventh lunar month, Yan Liqiang initially planned to spend some time in the martial arts academy’s library to do some research. He remembered that although there were no secret martial arts manuals in the library, there were still countless miscellaneous manuals, old articles, records, pictures, biographies, and the like in addition to the classic literature, historical, and philosophical ancient records. He couldn’t stop thinking that the metal cylinder he found would come in handy. Yet he just couldn’t figure out what it exactly was. Therefore, he wished to search around the library to see if he could find any relevant information which might resolve the doubts he had in his heart.
However, he didn’t expect the moment he arrived at the martial arts academy, he would be levied by the martial arts academy to be sent on a search for King Cobra, as part of the so-called ‘training’.
The Pingxi Prefecture Martial Arts Academy had their students get into groups of three. Each group of student carried one bow, two whistling arrows, a wanted poster of King Cobra, and three swords. They hung their student identity tags at a noticeable spot on their waists before they were all scattered to every corner of Pingxi City to find King Cobra…
When Yan Liqiang, Shi Dafeng, and Shen Teng voluntarily grouped themselves together, they coincidentally were assigned together too.
…
“Rumors have it that King Cobra is a vicious and merciless mass murderer. Not only that, he is also extremely skilled in archery. If the three of us really run into King Cobra, we don’t even know if we can survive. The martial arts academy has sent us out because they don’t even care about our lives and deaths! F*ck them all!” Shi Dafeng, who had always been frank and straightforward, started cursing furiously the moment they exited the martial arts academy’s main entrance. “That King Cobra only killed a few Shatu dogs and the entire city flew into panic while everyone searched for him. Even the bounty has increased tenfold. Why was the bounty reward not as high when he murdered someone back in the Plum Gardens last time? Are the lives of those Shatu people much more valuable than us, the Han Chinese? F*ck this sh*t!”
“You can’t put it that way.” Shen Teng cooly flung his bangs away. “After all, the prefecture provides annual funds for the martial arts academy. Now that the Prefectural Governor is worked up over capturing King Cobra and mobilizing everyone he possibly can in the Pingxi City, the martial arts academy will have to at least put up a show on the surface. That way, they will look better in front of the Prefectural Governor and won’t get on his bad side. Otherwise, the academy tutors of this martial arts would end up cold and hungry on the streets at the lift of the Prefectural Governor’s finger. We don’t need to take this so seriously either, just take it as coming out for a stroll. That King Cobra can hide so well that he can appear and disappear so unpredictably. He is definitely not someone we can just run into so easily on the streets.”
“Shen Teng really gets it. Hey, Liqiang, what’s with that strange look on your face?”
“Ahem, ahem… N-Nothing…” Naturally, Yan Liqiang wasn’t going to tell them that the way Shen Teng flung his hair instantly reminded him a viral GIF of Wang Bo flipping his hair while carrying a shoulder pole. That was the reason why he had a strange look on his face because he nearly couldn’t contain his laughter. He had to pretend to cough a few times to cover it up.
“No way. You’re being dishonest, Liqiang. You must be thinking about something just now!” Shi Dafeng continued pestering him.
“Actually, I was thinking about how we are making such a fuss in the city here. What if King Cobra already fled from the city long ago? After all, the city walls aren’t really some impassable barriers for heinous criminals like him. I heard some people from extremely high realms can actually make it over the city walls as though they are walking on flat ground…”
“Yan Liqiang’s right. The city walls of Pingxi City won’t be able to stop experts who have cultivated those profound lightness skill techniques. But I heard King Cobra isn’t a Martial Master yet, so he shouldn’t have such an ability…” Shen Teng said with a serious look on his face.
“Hm, seems like I was overthinking then…” Yan Liqiang said.
“But maybe that King Cobra might have some sneaky ways. For instance, if he used something like a grapple, then it would not be difficult for him to scale up the wall when no one is paying attention. If the soldiers who guard the city at night get slightly careless and doze off for a moment, King Cobra would be able to escape. Even if the soldiers at the city walls later realize that someone has escaped, they probably won’t dare to make a report and will only choose to feign ignorance — because if they did, they would have to shoulder the blame. If no one says anything, then everyone will just continue to feign ignorance. So what you said might be possible, Liqiang…” Shen Teng justified Yan Liqiang’s conjecture. After taking a glance at the longbow Yan Liqiang carried on his back, he asked him a question. “Oh that reminds me, I’ve never seen you practice archery Liqiang. How skillful are you with a bow?”
“I’m not really skilled in archery. I can only barely draw a bow and release an arrow at most. Whether I can hit any target within fifty meters will all depend on sheer luck. These whistling arrows only need to be released for signaling. I’m just carrying it since that tutor just passed them to me…” Yan Liqiang shook his head like a rattle-drum and then continued to ask the question Shen Teng was waiting for him to ask. “Oh right, how’s your cultivation in archery coming along, Brother Shen?”
The slightly aloof Shen Teng smiled complacently. He inhaled and stuck his chest out. “I have just advanced into the first layer of archery two weeks ago…”
“Wow!” Yan Liqiang put on a ‘shocked’ and ‘astonished’ expression. “Well, I will have to seek guidance from you in the future, Brother Shen. Oh right, I think it’ll be best for Brother Shen to carry this bow and the whistling arrows then. In case something happens, these things would be more useful in Brother Shen’s hands than mine…”
While speaking, Yan Liqiang hurriedly took off the bow and arrows and sincerely handed them over to Shen Teng.
“Alright, I will carry them then…” Shen Teng didn’t decline and carried them on his back rather proudly.
“I know a place in the eastern part of the city which serves particularly great hotpot. Since the weather is a little cold today and King Cobra is also a human, perhaps he might think of going there to eat some hotpot. Why don’t we eat there while we wait and see if King Cobra will appear? Of course, to celebrate Shen Teng advancing past the first layer in archery, this hotpot will be Shen Teng’s treat!” Shi Dafeng suddenly spoke up.
Yan Liqiang was quiet for a moment before he nodded vigorously. “That’s a fine idea! Let’s go to this place that Brother Shi speaks of and eat some hotpot while we wait and see if King Cobra will come. If he dares to come, we will immediately release a whistling arrow!”
Shen Teng was quiet for a longer moment before he also nodded. With a serious face, he said, “Who knows, maybe King Cobra might have already fled from Pingxi City long ago and is also an old glutton!”
After taking a few steps, the three of them burst out laughing at the same time…
…
By noon, the weather outside had turned cold and windy. The three of them exited the town and had hotpot in an eatery outside the eastern city gate. They had a long, pleasant talk about life over some yellow wine…
Halfway through their hotpot, the hasty sounds of iron hooves rang out and stopped right outside of the eatery. Two people then came inside the eatery.
Both of the people who came in were strongly built and had fierce gazes. They carried swords and blades, and they were fully armored. They also had thick capes draped over their bodies. One of them carried a huge bow bag on his back while the other carried a crossbow case on his back. Both of them wore red headbands over their foreheads. The way they dressed was extremely distinct and this made them look like they had quite some personality.
“Waiter, serve us some good hot food and drinks first!” Both of them set the things they carried on their backs noisily on the table, with an impact that nearly broke the table. One of the guys who just set his stuff down turned his head around and yelled.
…
“Wanderers… Those two are Wanderers.” Shen Teng threw both of them a glance before he spoke with a surprised tone. “I’m guessing they’ve been allured by bounty reward for King Cobra here. After all, a reward of a thousand taels of gold isn’t a small fortune…”
Wanderers were a special community in the Great Han Empire that roamed everywhere. The community was courageous, fierce, and helped those in distress. At the same time, they were also akin to those money-chasing bounty hunters whom Yan Liqiang had seen in the movies in his previous life. Wanderers were from different social classes in society. Even the youths among the wealthy and influential clans became part of this community because they yearned to live the lives of Wanderers. The community was diverse in terms of gender and age groups. The only requirement to become part of this community was to possess solid skills and cultivation.
Yan Liqiang stole another few glances at these two Wanderers because it was also his first time seeing any here in Pingxi City. Both of them seemed to be sharp too. One of them immediately sensed Yan Liqiang’s gaze when he took a few more looks at them. He snapped his head around and his sharp gaze fell on Yan Liqiang’s table before he nonchalantly looked away after discovering there were only three curious youths sitting at that table.
In just less than ten minutes, shortly after the two Wanderers started digging into their meals, iron hooves sounded again from outside the eatery. In just the blink of an eye, another person who appeared to be a swordsman came into the shop.
The three Wanderers looked at each other and didn’t say a single word to each other. The other Wanderer then found a seat a little further away from the two Wanderers’ table and beckoned for the waiter.
By the time the Wanderer started eating his meal, the other two who arrived earlier were already done. They left some money on the table, grabbed their bows and crossbows, picked up their other weapons, and left the eatery.
…
Yan Liqiang squinted his eyes slightly while he watched the leaving silhouettes of those two Wanderers with a pensive look on his face…
Ever since the first day of the eleventh lunar month, more and more Wanderers with red headscarves and traveling figures started appearing in Pingxi City, causing the city to become increasingly lively…
