Chapter 154: Can you withstand my two blades?

Lin Yue City, Investigations Office.

A fierce wind howled as Shen Qing landed in the courtyard where the Investigator resided.

Shen Qing did not conceal his presence, and the fierce commotion quickly drew the experts of the Investigations Office.

A Captain leapt into the courtyard, drawing his steel saber.

"Who goes there!"

Shen Qing glanced at him, took out the Commander's token from his waist, and the moonlight also fell on his face.

The Captain shuddered, hastily steadied himself, sheathed his saber, and then saluted.

"Lin Yue City Investigations Office Captain Jinlu greets the Commander!"

"Why has the Commander come at night?"

Shen Qing waved his hand: "Summon all Lieutenants and above in the Investigations Office."

"Yes!"

Jinlu hesitated not, turning to run out of the Investigations Office.

But just then, Shen Qing's voice sounded again, carrying a hint of a smile.

"Forget it, no need."

Jinlu turned his head, somewhat dazed; he noticed Shen Qing seemed to be looking at a dark corner of the courtyard, and Jinlu also turned his gaze there.

Suddenly, Jinlu's pupils contracted as he saw a figure slumped in a chair in the courtyard, and he also made out the face.

It was the Investigator of Lin Yue City Investigations Office, Wulin.

But his face was now twisted, blood oozing from his orifices, making his appearance horribly disfigured.

Jinlu's voice trembled: "W... the Investigator has been assassinated..."

Shen Qing glanced at him and made a silencing gesture with his finger to his lips.

Jinlu took a deep breath, nodded, and followed behind Shen Qing.

Soon the two reached Wulin's side, also seeing his condition: his meridians bulged fiercely, turning dark black, and a small porcelain bottle sat on the table.

Jinlu realized: "Is this a deadly poison?"

Shen Qing glanced at him: "Jinlu, right? You must now evacuate everyone in the Investigations Office."

"Tonight, you have seen nothing, know nothing, and I do not want anyone else in the Investigations Office to learn of this."

"Understood?"

Jinlu turned, moved his lips without speaking, then strode out of the courtyard, quickly evacuating the Embroidered Uniform Guard from the Investigations Office.

Shen Qing need not say anything; he wished he could gouge out his own eyes and beat himself into amnesia.

An Investigator of the Qingzhou Embroidered Uniform Guard committed suicide by poison? What a huge case this is!

Shen Qing lifted a finger; a black shadow swiftly descended from the clouds without a sound—it was the Black Hawk.

It carried four scholars on its back.

The four swiftly jumped to the ground; seeing Wulin's grim state, they all sucked in a breath of cold air, and the scholar turned his head to look at Shen Qing.

Shen Qing nodded.

The scholar waved his hand: "Let's go, search!"

The four quickly darted into the side rooms, searching for any usable evidence.

But soon the scholar came out of the room: "Boss, it's been cleaned too thoroughly; there's nothing usable."

"These people are no good! Who could make an Investigator commit suicide by poison?"

"Perhaps someone with far-reaching influence."

Shen Qing waved his hand: "Keep searching, Black Hawk, you are responsible for their safety."

Having said that, Shen Qing shot straight up into the sky.

After the time it takes to finish a cup of tea.

Shen Qing landed on a side street in Lin Yue City and entered a small shop called Myriad Winds Tavern.

"Guest! We have newly arrived huadiao wine and freshly sauced beef—care to try some?"

Shen Qing said nothing, merely walked to the shopkeeper's front and slapped the Shen family token onto the table.

The shopkeeper's murky eyes gradually cleared; he glanced at the waiter and waved his hand.

The waiter also wiped the smile off his face, straightened up, and quickly shut the door.

At this moment, the shopkeeper's aura rapidly swelled, finally settling at the Grand Master Realm.

He bowed: "Shadow Guard's Sucai greets Young Master Shen!"

The Shadow Guard is an organization covertly cultivated by the Shen family, its size enormous, spread throughout the Great Martial realm.

Not to mention Lin Yue City in Qingzhou or Luoshui City in Yongning Prefecture; even Bai Yun County, where Shen Qing first stayed, has Shadow Guard presence.

If the Embroidered Uniform Guard is the emperor's sharp dagger, then the Shadow Guard is the Shen family's keen blade.

The edge of the Embroidered Uniform Guard lies in its sharpness, while the Shen family's Shadow Guard blade lies in its concealment.

Hidden in bustling markets, hidden in mountain forests, hidden in the shadows of the Great Martial realm—hence the name Shadow Guard.

This is also why the Shen family has the confidence to send its juniors to train in remote corners of the Great Martial realm.

If opponents of equal or higher cultivation act against the Shen family's juniors, the Shadow Guard will not intervene; but if those several cultivation levels lower dare to strike at the Shen family's descendants, then they will be sorry.

Sucai continued: "Young Master Shen, this is your first time coming to us Shadow Guard; what are your orders?"

Shen Qing put the token away: "I want information on an organization called the Peace and Harmony Society."

Sucai pondered: "The Peace and Harmony Society—we have long noticed them; they appeared across the Great Martial realm five years ago, though their main activity remains in Qingzhou and Youzhou."

"Some of our Shadow Guard have already infiltrated the Peace and Harmony Society."

"However, according to our investigations, the Peace and Harmony Society was likely established by a major figure within the imperial family, its aim also being internal strife within the imperial family, and thus has nothing to do with us."

「So we Shadow Guards also stopped investigating the Peace Society. 」

「Young Master Shen, are we supposed to intervene in their struggle? 」

Shen Qing spoke flatly: 「They stretched their hands too far, and they even factored me in. 」

The Zhu family's internal strife? It has nothing much to do with Shen Qing; no matter how they fight, Shen Qing doesn't care.

But they actually stretched their hands onto Shen Qing's friends, and even factored Shen Qing in.

Well, sorry about that, then let's wrist-wrestle and see whose bones are harder!

Su Cai fell silent for a moment: 「Young Master Shen, I understand. 」

「The Shadow Guards will restart the investigation plan against the Peace Society; we will report any findings to you immediately. 」

Shen Qing nodded lightly, turned and walked out of the tavern, without extra words, directly shooting up into the sky.

After roughly the time to finish a cup of tea, dozens of black crows flew out from behind the tavern, quickly merging with the dim night sky, then swiftly flying off in all directions.

Shen Qing stood in the high air, silently watching the crows disperse, his eyes icy.

「Peace Society? Imperial? All-seeing and all-powerful? 」

「I actually want to see if you can withstand two slashes from my blades. 」