CHAPTER 157

The neck of the magistrate's husband hit the ground with a thud. The corpse maintained its balance for a brief moment before collapsing as Jung Yeonshin sheathed his sword.

The lips of the magistrate slightly parted. A streak of blood was drawn across her cheek, splattered from her husband's severed neck.

Without sparing a glance at the corpse, she gently stroked her blood-stained cheek, bearing traces of her husband.

"My husband..."

She murmured with a somewhat composed expression, as if she had resigned herself to this outcome ever since the appearance of the black rank of Desolate Fortress.

That was why her expression had not changed since confronting Jung Yeonshin.

She was neither an ignorant rural magistrate nor a novice official; as a regional magistrate, she would have kept constant watch over Desolate Fortress.

This meant she understood its status, martial strength, and commanding presence.

"Young leader of the Radiant Demon Squad, will you kill me too?"

She asked.

Jung Yeonshin did not answer immediately.

She was different from the countless martial artists he had beheaded so far. There was much to uncover.

Why had someone of her stature aided banditry? What dealings took place so close to the Murim Alliance and Wudang Sect?

And why had high-ranking martial artists from the Profound Martial Alliance appeared, timed with the Murim Alliance's initiation ceremony?

"Let's hear it first."

Huguang Province was vast, comparable to a small nation.

As a regional magistrate, she was one of only seventeen officials of her rank in the province, commanding power over eight subordinate magistrates.

Executing her rashly would burden anyone. She might have ties to the imperial family.

Jung Yeonshin sought to address his questions first.

"Lead the way."

He entered the hall with his group, making the magistrate walk ahead.

"News of you has spread across all of Huguang Province."

The magistrate lifted her teacup slightly and began speaking. Was her bloodline noble?

Her fingers, exceptionally slender and smooth for her apparent age, lightly brushed the rim of the cup.

"When a new leader of the Divine Sword Squad's Division emerges, messages are sent to all seventeen of us across this vast Huguang land. Details of your identity and rank, advising us to conduct ourselves properly."

Despite losing her spouse, her demeanor showed little change. Did entering government make someone as monstrous as martial artists?

Regional magistrate—an official title.

Before the Song Dynasty, it was called Taishou. It is a rank of Senior Fourth Grade.

It is three ranks higher than the more widely known magistrates.

In the civilian sphere, they commanded incomparable power, overseeing judicial officers, financial officers, and lieutenants, earning the title of Great Official.

Thus, her words attested to the prestige of Desolate Fortress.

"Does it offend you?"

Jung Yeonshin asked quietly.

The disciples of Mount Hua Sect behind him gasped. Such words were unthinkable for commoners to direct at an official. Yet, the magistrate's expression remained calm.

Was she fully acknowledging the status of the Radiant Demon Squad's Leader? Or was she simply profoundly composed?

"Offended? That's a personal sentiment I'm unfamiliar with. Any rational official would recognize your necessity."

The magistrate brought the cup to her lips, took a sip, and continued without visible emotion.

"The rampant crimes of rogue martial artists cannot be suppressed by soldiers alone. It's only natural. What productivity do martial artists bring? While soldiers till fields, raise livestock, and build homes for the common folk, martial artists hone techniques to kill. They know nothing else and contribute nothing to the nation. So, they must at least be strong, don't you agree? For their sake."

She stared intently at Jung Yeonshin.

"That's why Desolate Fortress is needed. Though your numbers are but a handful compared to the Jiamghu, your symbolism as defenders of the people lends us strength."

"We do not condone plundering and slaughter."

The boy retorted in a calm voice.

Yet, the weight of his words, coming from the black-rank elite of Desolate Fortress, carried undeniable gravity.

The three men guarding the magistrate reached for their weapons. They were the few soldiers remaining.

They seemed ready to draw their swords and charge at Jung Yeonshin. For a weaker opponent to yield the first move to a master meant certain doom.

However, their trembling hands betrayed them. All it took was Jung Yeonshin's indifferent gaze to make them quiver.

"Stay still."

The boy's short command seemed like an order. Their hands fell away from their weapons simultaneously.

The heavy aura in his voice made the magistrate smirk bitterly.

"You're a terrifying prodigy. At such a young age."

"Be silent. Was it really a lack of food? What drove you to pillage innocent villages?"

He asked bluntly. At that, the magistrate's smile disappeared.

"I already said I recognize the necessity of Desolate Fortress. Meaning, I acknowledge the need for force to suppress martial artists."

"Keep talking."

"...But the soldiers are weak, and summoning imperial experts is a daunting task, even for me. That's why Desolate Fortress exists. However, you're preoccupied with the Central Plains. Officials like me can only hope to be the next on your list of assignments. Compared to the vastness of the realm, even Desolate Fortress' forces are but a drop in the ocean."

"..."

"I cannot train private armies with my salary. So, I took a martial artist as my husband. Feeding and clothing martial artists using tribute might brand me a traitor, so I treated some of my people as offerings. Sacrificing one to save ten. Instead of waiting for Desolate Fortress, I chose to deal with lawless men myself. Even if it meant sustaining this Central Command."

"Isn't that treason too?"

"In terms of tribute accounting, it wouldn't escape the scrutiny of the Censorate. Ironically, wiping out an entire village is easier to conceal. Martial artists claiming to maintain order are instead wreaking havoc, aren't they? You must have witnessed countless atrocities from Yangyang to here. The famine spreads, and martial artists refuse to restrain their power. Lawless men without identity tags run wild."

For the first time, emotion surfaced in the magistrate's voice.

Her clenched fist revealed veins bulging under the skin. Jung Yeonshin gazed indifferently at her tension before speaking.

"Did the Murim Alliance and Wudang Sect condone your actions?"

The disciples of Mount Hua Sect held their breath. It was a critical moment.

This reckless young leader might take drastic measures against the orthodox sects based on her answer.

The magistrate spoke plainly.

"The Wudang Sect is unaware. Those ascetic hermits rarely descend from their mountain. Supported by the imperial family second only to Desolate Fortress, they occasionally eradicate demonic sects when they descend."

"The Murim Alliance?"

"They condoned it. I govern Unyangbu, bordering Hanzhong of Shaanxi. Their message was clear:'We won't interfere with the magistrate's actions. In return, please ensure smooth trade between Hanzhong and Unyangbu.'"

"They sent an official message to a magistrate. It couldn't have been verbal."

Heon Wonchang glared, briefly reverting to formal speech out of respect but quickly dropped it again.

Jung Yeonshin didn't seem to mind.

"Show the letter."

Jung Yeonshin demanded. The magistrate silently retrieved a sealed document from the table.

Heon Wonchang, acting for the young leader, unsealed it.

Soon, the green silk-lined paper unfolded before the elite of Desolate Fortress.

Heon Wonchang cursed.

"The seal of the Zhuge clan... Damn bastards."

"They're aristocrats, not orthodox sects. All but the Nine Great Sects are hypocrites hiding behind power."

Lazy Flame Dragon commented lightly. Namgoong Hwashin remained silent, his hollowed eyes suggesting deep thought.

Jung Yeonshin silently nodded. The letter, resealed by Heon Wonchang, was handed to him.

The boy tucked the document into his robe. The messenger bird gifted by Eunuch Myeong-yeo twitched once inside his chest.

A blade aimed at the heart of the Murim Alliance had fallen into the hands of the young leader of the Radiant Demon Squad. It was the seed of an extraordinary merit.

Jung Yeonshin spoke again, his expression showing little emotion.

"This is the last time. Tell me about the Profound Martial Alliance. Are they targeting the Murim Alliance?"

"The forces of the Profound Martial Alliance are approaching."

* * *

Jung Yeonshin tucked the magistrate's words into a corner of his mind.

It was enough to focus on the looming confrontation with the Murim Alliance. It was difficult to predict what variables might arise during the opening tournament.

He decided to devote all his efforts to the Murim Alliance.

He prepared for any ambush that might occur and prioritized enhancing the power of the Radiance Sword Style, even in the midst of the tournament.

'It will be hard to wield a staff before the leader of the Murim Alliance, who's hailed as a master swordsman. I'll need to transform my swordsmanship first.'

He released the commoners who had been imprisoned in the estate's annex.

Hearing their consistent testimonies about the severe abuse they endured while alive, and with the magistrate's admission, he beheaded the remaining soldiers.

Reports indicated that far more commoners had already perished resisting their captors. Jung Yeonshin's group had already seen piles of corpses in a village they had passed earlier.

The only one left was the most esteemed official in Unyangbu.

He forced her to kneel in the center of the training yard. Standing over her like an executioner about to behead a criminal, Jung Yeonshin loomed.

"Regardless of my intentions…"

The magistrate began.

"I fully acknowledge that my crimes are tantamount to treason. With the young squad leader from the Desolate Fortress himself here, it's only fitting that I offer my neck. Such is the order of the world."

She spoke in a formal, antiquated tone, further confirming her noble lineage.

Jung Yeonshin was unmoved by her composed demeanor. Gripping his sword handle with hands that looked undeniably steady, he prepared to strike.

"Is this really okay?"

Yoo Hyun, standing to the side, voiced an aimless question.

It was understandable. A magistrate of her rank likely had countless connections within the Forbidden City.

No matter how prestigious the Lord of Desolate Fortress was, this wasn't something to be done lightly.

Even the eunuch who had acknowledged Jung Yeonshin and entrusted him with a treasure likely hadn't foreseen this—an execution of a Fourth Rank official. Perhaps he only anticipated cases involving Seventh Rank magistrates at most.

'I don't care.'

A face came to Jung Yeonshin's mind—the Crown Prince. Along with his words:

—You may call me Senior Brother.

No matter what position the magistrate held in the political sphere of the Forbidden City, no matter who might extend their influence on her behalf, Jung Yeonshin believed he could block them once.

Especially with the Eastern Depot, where Eunuch Myeong-yeo served, factored into the equation.

"Keep cutting down the lawless."

The magistrate said.

"You won't falter easily. A true martial hero is one who avenges the innocent and the weak. As the squad leader from the Desolate Fortress, you will console hundreds, even thousands of souls."

Did she harbor resentment against martial artists?

Seeing her sharp, piercing gaze again dispelled any sense of sanctity. She appeared merely as another tragedy born of chaotic times.

"Very well. Starting with you."

Jung Yeonshin didn't overthink it. If there was someone to cut down, he would cut them down.

Obstacles in his path toward the fruit of the World Tree, those who stood out as particularly loathsome figures, the leader of the Tyrant Sword Tribe responsible for the massacre of Jung Clan, and the countless orthodox masters who would test him at the Murim Alliance meeting tomorrow.

"As the leader of the Radiant Demon Squad,"

The boy spoke slowly,

"You have been the most lawless since my departure."

With those words, a flash of sword light gleamed from his fingertips.

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