Chapter 423 - 249: Thunder God’s Roar

Chapter 423: Chapter 249: Thunder God’s Roar

Su Mu had long known that gunpowder also existed in this world.

However, because Martial Artists were so powerful, gunpowder was rarely used as a weapon. It was generally used for construction and fortifications.

"I’ve heard that some people combine gunpowder with the Weapon Casting Technique to create something comparable to a Profound Weapon. They call it the Thunder God’s Roar. Have you heard of it, Master Zhang?"

Su Mu said with a smile.

"Of course I have."

Zhang Tongxiang said, "I even managed to get my hands on one before. But that thing is difficult to make and far too expensive. It’s hard to use it for construction."

Su Mu nodded. Crafting a Thunder God’s Roar took no less effort than forging a Profound Weapon, but it couldn’t compare to a true Profound Weapon. Weapon Masters with that level of skill rarely spent their time and energy on such things.

"Lord Su, you’ve come at the perfect time. There’s something I wanted to talk to you about."

Zhang Tongxiang continued, "I want to replace Chen Yougong."

"Why? Isn’t he doing a good job?"

Su Mu asked, confused.

After Su Mu arrived in Songjiang Prefecture, Chen Yougong was the first to pledge allegiance. Furthermore, in the series of events that followed, Chen Yougong displayed outstanding coordination and organizational skills.

He was the one who managed to procure all the materials needed for the construction of Songjiang Prefecture’s Bailu Academy. All in all, he had done an excellent job.

"Is there a problem with the quality of the construction materials he procured? Or is it the price?"

Su Mu asked.

"Neither."

Zhang Tongxiang said, shaking his head.

"Then why?"

Su Mu asked, not understanding.

"Of all the craftsmen here, the ones under him have the highest error rate!"

Zhang Tongxiang said angrily, "If it weren’t for them, we could have cut at least five days off the construction time!"

Zhang Tongxiang raised his hand and shoved five fingers in Su Mu’s face.

Su Mu was speechless for a moment, then chuckled. ’He wants to replace a supplier over something so minor?’

He suddenly felt that with a temper like his, Zhang Tongxiang had probably made a lot of enemies.

’The person who hired assassins to kill Zhang Tongxiang might not have been targeting Bailu Academy after all.’

Still, Su Mu understood the perfectionist mindset of a technician.

"The craftsmen under him haven’t done this kind of work before. Just be a little more patient with them."

Su Mu said with a smile, "A few days more or less won’t make a difference, as long as we ensure the quality."

Before Su Mu could finish speaking, a glint suddenly flashed in his eyes.

At that moment, WHOOSH! An arrow shot toward them from a distance.

Su Mu raised a hand and caught the arrow, stopping it just an inch from Zhang Tongxiang’s face.

Su Mu looked up and ahead.

The smoke and dust from the earlier explosion hadn’t completely dissipated yet, obscuring his vision. Su Mu couldn’t see clearly into the distance.

Zhang Tongxiang was scared stiff.

Su Mu frowned. ’Has the Golden Wind Tower already lost its patience?’

Shouts erupted from nearby as several Taiping Captains sprinted in the direction the arrow had come from.

Su Mu knew they would return empty-handed.

It was the style of the Golden Wind Tower’s assassins: if a strike failed, they would vanish.

The attacker was surely long gone.

He glanced back at Zhang Tongxiang. The man still hadn’t recovered, his legs trembling.

"Lord Su, Lord Su! What happened?"

Chen Yougong came running over, shouting.

When he saw that Zhang Tongxiang was unharmed and Su Mu was standing beside him, a flash of regret flickered in his eyes.

’Damn it, the Golden Wind Tower assassins have terrible timing! Attacking while Su Mu is here... so unprofessional!’

What he didn’t know was that the assassin’s vision had also been blocked by the smoke and dust. Fearing he would lose his chance, he had acted hastily.

"How could there be an assassin?"

Chen Yougong said with a panicked look, "Master Zhang, did you offend someone?"

Zhang Tongxiang: "..."

’I was just about to have him replaced. They say that blocking someone’s path to wealth is like killing their parents. Could it be that I’ve offended Chen Yougong?’

’But it hasn’t happened yet, and Chen Yougong doesn’t know. It probably isn’t him.’

"I’m just an ordinary craftsman. Who would I have offended?"

Zhang Tongxiang said, his face pale.

"Then why wasn’t anyone else assassinated?"

Chen Yougong said, seemingly speaking his mind without a filter.

Zhang Tongxiang was at a loss for words.

"Master Zhang, I think you should lie low for a while. We have the blueprints, so we can keep an eye on the construction site. This is just too dangerous. If Lord Su hadn’t been here today, what would have happened?"

Chen Yougong said with a look of concern.

Neither Su Mu nor Zhang Tongxiang thought it was strange.

"I refuse."

Zhang Tongxiang said stubbornly, "This is my construction site. I will absolutely not leave until it’s finished!"

’Then you deserve to die!’

Chen Yougong thought to himself, but his face remained expressionless.

"There’s no need to hide."

Su Mu said calmly, "From now on, I will personally oversee this site. I’d like to see who can kill Master Zhang right under my nose."

Chen Yougong’s body stiffened for a moment.

’Damn it, did my clever plan backfire?’

’Not only did I fail to get rid of Zhang Tongxiang, but now I’ve drawn in this troublesome guy, Su Mu?’

’If he’s guarding this place, how am I supposed to plant the Thunder God’s Roar?’

’That son of a bitch Golden Wind Tower! They took my money and still managed to screw things up this badly!’

’Fuck, I can’t just have the Golden Wind Tower take out Su Mu too, can I?’

’I’d love to, but the problem is, the Golden Wind Tower isn’t capable of it.’

Chen Yougong felt as sick as if he’d swallowed a dead fly.

But still, he had to force a smile onto his face.

"If Lord Su is personally overseeing the site, then all of us can rest easy."

Chen Yougong said with a beaming smile, "It’s just that, Lord Su, you’re so busy with official duties. Is it really alright?"

"The construction of Bailu Academy is the highest priority in Songjiang Prefecture. Other matters can be delayed, but this one cannot."

Su Mu said.

As soon as he finished speaking, Yang Yungzhong suddenly came running up the mountain.

"Lord Su, the assassin got away."

Yang Yungzhong said, somewhat ashamed.

Su Mu waved his hand. This was to be expected.

The attacker had used a bow and arrow, striking from hundreds of yards away.

If his Wind and Thunder Wings were still intact, Su Mu would have been confident he could catch the attacker, but they had been destroyed by Taishi Tianbi. Now, even if he went himself, he wasn’t certain he could catch up.

The assassins of the Golden Wind Tower were masters of escape and concealment.

"While we were searching for the assassin, we found this!"

Yang Yungzhong said, raising his hand.

In his hand was a sphere the size of a baby’s head. The ball was entirely metallic and gleamed under the sunlight, almost dazzlingly.

"This is—the Thunder God’s Roar!"

Zhang Tongxiang exclaimed.

"Was the assassin planning to blow me up with a Thunder God’s Roar?"

Zhang Tongxiang yelled, "Outrageous! This is simply outrageous!

A single Thunder God’s Roar is worth thousands of gold! How could they waste it on me, Zhang Tongxiang?

If used properly, do you know how much construction time it could save?"

Su Mu: "..."

Yang Yungzhong: "..."

’What kind of logic is that?’

Chen Yougong had broken out in a cold sweat.

’Which idiot failed to hide the Thunder God’s Roar properly, letting the Taiping Captains find it?!’

’Damn it!’

’I warned them over and over again, so how did they still mess up?’

"The assassin had this, so why didn’t they use it?"

Su Mu asked curiously. He had heard the name Thunder God’s Roar but had never seen one in person, so he took it with some curiosity.

"It might not have been left by that assassin."

Yang Yungzhong said, shaking his head. "It was hidden in the craftsmen’s living quarters. If it were detonated while the craftsmen were resting, it would have caused massive casualties.

Lord Su, I suspect an assassin has infiltrated the craftsmen."

"The craftsmen’s living quarters?"

Su Mu’s brows knitted slightly.

"How many Thunder God’s Roars were found?"

Originally, Su Mu had ruled out the possibility that someone was targeting Zhang Tongxiang just to delay the construction of Bailu Academy.

But now that someone was trying to attack the ordinary craftsmen, that possibility had resurfaced.

’Is someone really trying to make me fail my mission?’

’If so, this is a much bigger deal.’

’Assassinating Zhang Tongxiang is one thing, but trying to sabotage my mission... isn’t that just stopping me from earning Points?’

’In that case, I can’t let this be resolved so easily!’