Chapter 68 - 65: Night Walk in Brocade, Beheading with a Single Slash

Chapter 68: Chapter 65: Night Walk in Brocade, Beheading with a Single Slash

It was a dark, windy night. The Garrison Command government office was steeped in dead silence.

Song Zhen sat cross-legged on a woven mat inside the office, quietly breathing in rhythm as he cultivated.

As the most mysterious agency within the Great Zhou Court, no one dared to trespass in the Garrison Command. After all, this government office represented the absolute authority of the Emperor! However, night patrols and guard duties were still mandatory. Tonight, the shift fell to Song Zhen.

The Garrison Command in Black Mountain County currently consisted of six Small Banner officers and one Commander. Though Black Mountain County also harbored many Dark Guards from the Garrison Command, they were exactly that—dark. No one knew who they were. Consequently, Song Zhen had no idea of their numbers or identities.

A street vendor hawking flatbreads, a servant feeding horses in a wealthy estate, a drowsy old official in the County Government Office... Anyone could secretly be a Dark Guard of the Garrison Command. Because of this, the fearsome reputation of the Garrison Command was universally known and dreaded.

Under such an intimidating shadow, no one in their right mind would dare offend this government office. Thus, while Song Zhen was technically on the night watch, he spent the time undisturbed, focusing entirely on his cultivation within the agency’s walls.

As the night deepened, Song Zhen completed a full Grand Circulation and slowly opened his eyes. Instantly, he jumped in fright!

At some unknown point, a mysterious figure had taken a seat on a chair inside his room. Clad in a black cloak and wearing a Profound Iron Mask, the stranger radiated a bone-chilling aura that struck fear into the very soul!

A violent shudder wracked Song Zhen’s body. He immediately scrambled back, reaching for his saber. He had been deep in his breathing exercises for so long, yet he had no idea how this person had entered or how long they had been sitting there. Just how terrifying was this intruder’s Cultivation?

Could he actually be an Outer Gang Martial Artist?

A wave of numbness washed over Song Zhen’s scalp. Just as his fingers grazed the hilt of his weapon, an incredibly oppressive surge of True Qi swept toward him. Before he could even brace himself to resist, a Profound Black Token was tossed directly in front of his face.

Catching sight of the token, Song Zhen froze in shock before exhaling a massive breath of relief. He immediately cupped his fists in salute. "Small Banner Song Zhen of the Pingzhang Commandery Garrison Command greets the Lord Dark Guard!"

So it was just a Dark Guard! Thank the heavens.

However, even as Song Zhen bowed in greeting, a low, raspy voice echoed from beneath the mask. "Song Xiaoqi, you flatter me. I am of the same rank as you, a fellow brother-in-arms. There is no need to address me as ’Lord’."

Song Zhen blanked out at the Dark Guard’s words before his scalp went numb once again. He thought in dismay, "Are the headquarters in the commandery and state capital so powerful now that they deploy Outer Gang Martial Artists as mere Small Banners?"

Suddenly plagued by anxiety, Song Zhen worried that if he did not double his efforts in his Cultivation, he would be demoted and relegated to the role of a true Ti Cavalry.

In the early days following the founding of the Great Zhou Dynasty, Blood Refining Martial Artists had served in the Garrison Command as the standard Ti Cavalry. Later, the Divine Martial Emperor decided that Blood Refining Martial Artists lacked the necessary subtlety for intelligence gathering and dismissed them all from service. However, the common title of "Ti Cavalry" was retained within the Garrison Command. As a result, Small Banner officers were still colloquially referred to as Ti Cavalry.

Previously, Song Zhen had never truly felt the threat of demotion or unemployment. But staring at the "Small Banner" Dark Guard standing before him now, a deep sense of crisis welled up within him.

Song Zhen drew in a deep breath through his nose. Maintaining his respectful posture, he asked, "May I ask, Sir... are you here on an urgent, classified mission? If necessary, I can fetch our Commander immediately."

"There is no need." The Dark Guard shook his head. With a mere pulse of True Qi, the token flew straight back into his grasp. His voice remained dark and raspy. "Fetch me a weapon."

Song Zhen didn’t hesitate for a second. He instantly offered up his own Imperial Saber, which had been resting nearby. "If you don’t mind, Sir, please take my blade. It was forged by a master blacksmith in the commandery. It’s sharp enough to split a falling hair and slice through iron like mud!"

"I appreciate the gesture. I will return it once my business is concluded." The Dark Guard nodded and accepted the Imperial Saber. With movements as swift and weightless as drifting paper, he vanished from the Garrison Command government office in the blink of an eye.

Only after the Dark Guard was completely gone did Song Zhen let out a long, heavy exhale. He had a sinking feeling that something massive was going to happen in Black Mountain County tonight.

***

"Ti Cavalry Song’s saber isn’t half bad."

Donning the profound black mask, Zheng Jun took a few experimental swings with the Ti Cavalry’s weapon. He could feel the superior craftsmanship; it was genuinely a fine blade.

Naturally, the Dark Guard from the Garrison Command who had barged in demanding a weapon from Song Zhen was none other than Zheng Jun himself. This trip to the Garrison Command had filled him with a myriad of emotions.

His current position as the Strong Shift Captain was all thanks to Ti Cavalry Song pulling strings on his behalf. Who would have thought that he would so quickly reach a level of strength capable of intimidating that very same man? Time truly flew by.

Actually.

It had only been two months.

Never mind then.

Grip tight on his newly acquired saber, the black-robed and masked Zheng Jun made his way toward the Xu Mansion.

Ever since breaking into the Qi Storage Realm, Zheng Jun had been diligently engaging in Qi Cultivation for over ten days. His True Qi was now vast and stable, far from the erratic state it had been in when he first broke through. As such, he strolled through the streets with the leisurely pace of someone taking a casual walk in their own courtyard. Let alone the ordinary night watchmen and patrol guards on the streets, even another Martial Artist in the Qi Storage Realm would fail to notice his footsteps unless they were actively listening for them.

Melting into the darkness of the night, Zheng Jun swiftly slipped into the courtyard of the Xu Mansion.

Xu Heng’s estate was situated quite close to the County Government Office, prompting Zheng Jun to exercise an extra degree of caution as he approached. He vaulted over the perimeter wall and landed silently in the courtyard, only to find the residence pitch black. Surprisingly, Xu Heng was not at home.

Come to think of it, Xu Heng had been acting rather strangely lately.