Chapter 106 - 93: Feiyun Thieves

Chapter 106: Chapter 93: Feiyun Thieves

Su Mu hadn’t measured this perceptive range precisely, but he estimated it could reach about a hundred zhang in all directions. On flat terrain, this distance would be even greater.

This was also why he was certain no other Feiyun Thieves were lurking nearby.

"Is the cart fixed?"

Su Mu asked casually.

Without needing to be told, one of the constables quickly began searching Bao Tong’s body.

Naturally, whatever he found was brought before Su Mu.

This was status.

He no longer even had to do something like looting a corpse with his own hands.

Without so much as a glance, he tucked the items into his robes and turned to Chen Er.

"We’ve managed to patch up the cart, but the mules are injured. I’m afraid they can’t pull it anymore."

Chen Er said quickly.

"No matter. Bao Tong brought a mount. It’s over there."

Su Mu pointed and said casually.

Chen Er and a few other constables headed in the direction Su Mu had indicated. After about the time it takes to eat a meal, they returned, leading a short horse.

"Constable, this is great!"

Chen Er’s face was flush with excitement as he shouted from afar.

"This is a Dragon Turtle Horse. It’s said to be the descendant of a horse that mated with the offspring of a demonic dragon and a turtle."

Su Mu: "..."

"This kind of horse has immense strength and is perfect for carrying loads. Its endurance is far greater than the mules of our South City Bureau. Pulling a large cart is a piece of cake for it."

Chen Er lovingly stroked the Dragon Turtle Horse’s neck, as if caressing a lover.

"Can you control it?"

Su Mu asked.

As far as he knew, the better the horse, the harder it was to tame.

"I can!"

Chen Er said with certainty, "Dragon Turtle Horses are docile by nature. As long as you understand their habits, you can make them obey."

"Good. It’s all yours. Hitch it to the cart. Let’s move out."

Su Mu said.

"Constable, we also found this on the Dragon Turtle Horse."

Chen Er was about to go hitch the horse when he suddenly remembered something. He slapped his forehead and handed a piece of parchment to Su Mu.

"This must have been left by Bao Tong. The Feiyun Thieves are active on the outskirts of Daxing Mountain, so they’re very familiar with the terrain around here. This should be a map of the area that they drew."

Chen Er said.

It had been found in a saddlebag on the Dragon Turtle Horse’s back.

Bao Tong had clearly ridden this Dragon Turtle Horse to catch up to them. He must have thought assassinating Su Mu wouldn’t take long, so he had tied the horse nearby without even taking off its saddlebags.

However, besides the map, the saddlebag only contained a waterskin and some jerky. There was nothing else of value.

Su Mu took the parchment and opened it, comparing it with the map he had.

The Feiyun Thieves’ map was much more detailed than Su Mu’s.

Not only did it mark many roads, but it also had red circles marking dangerous areas.

Su Mu compared them and found that some of the places marked with red circles were actually Wuling City’s supply points.

Thinking about it, he understood. The Feiyun Thieves were bandits. To them, both Wuling City’s City Defense Army and the Taiping Bureau’s Taiping Captains were dangerous elements, so they would naturally avoid them.

As for the other red circles, he had no idea what dangers they represented.

But Su Mu had no intention of exploring them.

He compared the two maps and quickly located the destination for his supply delivery.

"Bao Tong’s map shows a shorter route. We’re changing course."

After a long moment, Su Mu slowly spoke.

...

"Second-in-command still not back?"

On the outskirts of Daxing Mountain, in a hidden cave, a group of fierce-looking men were gathered, eating large chunks of meat and drinking wine from large bowls.

The large man seated at the head of the group suddenly spoke. "Did he spend the night in the city again?

How many times have I told him? Even if he goes into Wuling City, he shouldn’t stay the night. It’ll be a huge hassle if he gets targeted.

If he wants women, he can just grab a few and bring them into the mountains."

This man was none other than the leader of the Feiyun Thieves, Yan Zhu.

"Boss, Second-in-command didn’t stay in the city."

A bandit said, "The Hu Family paid him to kill someone, and he went by himself."

"He went by himself?"

Yan Zhu frowned.

"Second-in-command said it was just some guy at the Second Stage of Body Tempering. He said he could handle it alone, so he didn’t let us go with him."

The bandit said.

Hearing it was only someone at the Second Stage of Body Tempering, Yan Zhu relaxed slightly.

"Where did he go to kill the guy? A few of you go and provide him some backup."

Yan Zhu said, "Things have been a little unsettled in the mountains lately. Don’t want anything to go wrong."

"Second-in-command went to kill a constable from the South City Bureau. That constable is escorting supplies to a Wuling City Defense Army supply point in the mountains. The route they’re taking isn’t far."

The bandit said, "He should be about done by now. We’ll go meet him and bring him back."

With that, the bandit left with two of his brothers.

A long while later, those bandits returned in a hurry.

"Boss, it’s bad! Second-in-command has been killed!"

The bandits shouted in panic from a distance.

"What?!"

Yan Zhu’s expression changed drastically. In a flash, he shot forward and appeared right in front of the bandits.

Then he saw the corpse they were carrying. Who could it be but Bao Tong?

His legs were severed at the knees, his neck was half-sliced by a blade, and his body bore the bite marks of wild beasts.

"Second Brother!"

Yan Zhu felt a sharp pain in his heart and couldn’t help but spit out a mouthful of blood.

"Boss!"

The Feiyun Thieves rushed forward to support the swaying Yan Zhu.

After a good while, Yan Zhu recovered. His eyes were bloodshot as he grabbed the bandit who had spoken earlier.

"Tell me! Who was the person Second Brother went to kill?!"

He said coldly, his tone as frigid as the air in the dead of winter.

The bandit’s face turned pale with fright.

"B-Boss, Second-in-command went to kill the constable from the South City Bureau. I think... his name is Su Mu."

He stammered. "The Hu Family said he was only at the Second Stage of Body Tempering, but had mastered some kind of blade intent."

"Bullshit!"

Yan Zhu flew into a rage. ’Someone at the Second Stage of Body Tempering could kill my second brother?’

’In a situation like this, either the target had an expert with him, or he was hiding his true strength.’

"The Hu Family!"

Yan Zhu gritted his teeth. ’The Hu Family’s bad information got my second brother killed. I’ll settle this score with them, slowly.’

’Right now, I need to tear the bastard who killed my brother limb from limb!’

Outsiders thought Yan Zhu and Bao Tong were merely the leader and second-in-command of the Feiyun Thieves, but in reality, Yan Zhu was Bao Tong’s older, half-brother.

When Bao Tong was young, their family fell into decline. It was Yan Zhu who became a bandit, relying on robbery to provide for Bao Tong’s Martial Dao cultivation.

Originally, Yan Zhu had hoped Bao Tong would take a different path—to study martial arts and become an official. Bao Tong’s aptitude was better than his; though only in his early thirties, he was already as strong as Yan Zhu, who was over forty.

According to Yan Zhu’s plan, once Bao Tong became an official, he himself would slowly go legitimate.

Unfortunately, Bao Tong had a fiery temper and was by no means a good-natured person. He once killed someone in the Inner City and ended up wanted by the Government Office.

After that, he fled the city and joined the Feiyun Thieves.

Bao Tong’s personality, however, was a much better fit for the Feiyun Thieves, and he thrived among them like a fish in water.

Yan Zhu had raised Bao Tong since he was a child, acting as both brother and father to him.

Now that such a brother had been killed, how could Yan Zhu not be enraged?

"Grab your weapons! I want that entire squad of constables dead! Not one of them leaves!"

Yan Zhu said, grinding his teeth.

...

After changing routes, and with the Dragon Turtle Horse carrying the load, Su Mu’s group moved a full twenty percent faster than before.

"Chen Er, is there a way to cover our tracks?"

Su Mu asked thoughtfully, gazing at the winding mountain path and the dense jungle.

"It would be best to also create some false tracks leading in another direction."

"Constable, are you worried someone might be following us, so you want to mislead them?"

Chen Er thought for a moment before replying. He wasn’t an idiot; you couldn’t survive in the South City Bureau’s circle of constables if you were too slow or stupid.

"Better to be safe than sorry."

Su Mu nodded. "In Daxing Mountain, you can never be too careful."

"I can try. My dad taught me a few tricks, but I don’t know if they’ll be useful."

Chen Er hesitated for a moment, then said.

"Just do your best. When we get back to Wuling City, I’ll make sure you get credit for this."

Su Mu said, patting his shoulder.

"You can count on me, Constable!"

Chen Er, feeling honored and a bit taken aback, puffed out his chest and declared enthusiastically.