Chapter 13: Captain Yan is my close confidant… pick that hand up! (Please follow and read!)

The blade momentum surged mightily, rushing forth wantonly!

The black hengdao seemed to cross through space, arriving before Yan Liang in an instant!

Yan Liang was caught off guard, with no time to dodge; the grim saber Qi pressed straight toward his neck, and he seemed to have already "seen" the moment his own head hit the ground…

Clang!

The sound of metal striking metal set one's teeth on edge.

The hengdao was deflected and bounced away, and a woman in close-fitting attire stood leaning on her blade.

Her brows and eyes were sharp, her black hair bound into a high ponytail; she held a long-handled modao, double-edged, a full seven chi in length, the blade itself considerably taller than she was!

This was originally a military horse-chopping saber—no one would carry one on their person—but in her hands it didn't look the least bit out of place.

"Enough…"

Before her words had even faded, the hengdao came wheeling back once more.

Chen Mo still refused to stop!

A flash of anger crossed the woman's eyes as she raised her blade to meet him.

Clang!

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The sounds of impact came as dense as drumbeats.

No fancy tricks at all—the two simply clashed with saber Qi head-on, hard against hard!

The woman's expression turned to surprise; the more she fought, the more alarmed she grew!

Her modao was forged of fine iron, weighing over a hundred catties, and paired with broad, sweeping saber techniques, it specialized in overwhelming opponents with sheer force!

Yet after these few exchanges, she hadn't gained the slightest advantage!

Chen Mo, with nothing but a three-chi hengdao, had her firmly suppressed!

When Chen Mo struck his fifth slash, she hadn't yet fully discharged her force when the sixth slash was already at her face!

The woman's wrist went numb, and her modao was sent flying into the air.

The hengdao swept past her body, going straight for Yan Liang behind her!

"Well struck!"

The woman had bought enough time, and Yan Liang was now ready.

Tiger-fangs on his fists, golden light pulsing at his knuckles, he roared and threw a punch!

Roar!

The fist-wind carried the sound of a tiger's howl!

Tiger Roar Fist—a low-grade earth-tier fist technique, with explosive power within the smallest range!

"Your old force is spent, your new force not yet born; I wait at ease for the weary—let's see how you take this punch!"

"Everyone's watching—this is self-defense, killing you is no crime; today I'll take your dog-life!"

A savage grin tugged at Yan Liang's lips.

Chen Mo might have deep backing, but he was no easy mark either!

So long as he held the moral high ground, he wouldn't fear even if it reached the ears of the Holy Empress of the Eastern Palace!

Yet the instant blade met fist, the blade-light sliced through the golden radiance as easily as a hot knife through butter; the hengdao flicked upward at an angle, and Yan Liang felt his wrist go cold—his right hand, still wearing the tiger-fangs, had already flown high into the air!

Before the pain even arrived, the eighth slash was already chopping toward his neck!

"Enough…"

A deep, mellow voice rang out.

Chen Mo's movements seemed to have been slowed countless times over.

A middle-aged man in brocade robes appeared between the two, and lightly flicked the blade's edge with one finger.

Ting!

The hengdao sprang from his grip and flew off, embedding itself in a stone pillar, its hilt humming and trembling.

Only now did the severed palm drop to the ground!

The scene fell deathly silent!

Everyone stared, dumbstruck, looking at the scene in disbelief.

The Ding Fire Division and Gui Water Division had always been at odds, openly vying and scheming against each other in daily life, yet no one had ever dared to strike a killing blow in public!

If the hundred-household captain of the Gui Water Division hadn't stepped in to block it, Yan Liang's head would likely already be on the ground!

What shocked them most was that Chen Mo could actually overpower two total-banner captains?

When had he become this strong?!

"Chen Mo!!"

Yan Liang clutched his wrist as blood gushed forth, his eyes nearly splitting with rage, looking as though he wanted to devour someone alive!

"Assaulting a colleague in public, plotting to murder an imperial court official—this is the most heinous of crimes!"

"Chen Mo, you're finished…"

Yan Xun, after coming back to his senses, shouted and made a fuss on the side.

Yet Chen Mo only shot him a sideways glance, which so frightened him that he immediately fell silent—nearly biting his own tongue in the process.

This madman dared to hack at a total-banner captain, let alone a mere squad leader officer like him?

Disdain flashed in Chen Mo's eyes.

Yan Xun was nothing but a clown, not worth a sneer; his jumping out to taunt earlier had been at Yan Liang's instigation.

To squabble with such trash would only lower oneself.

Strike a snake at its seven-inch mark.

Since you want to play, then let's play something big!

……

"What's all this noise…"

"Hm?!"

A burst of footsteps sounded, and several figures walked into the training ground.

Seeing the scene before them, the few men all froze.

Among them, a white-haired old man with upturned bushy brows said in a deep voice, "Who can tell me what is going on here?"

"Inspector Chu…"

Yan Xun, as if he had seen a savior, stumbled over and roughly recounted what had happened.

The white-haired old man looked at Chen Mo, fury blazing in his eyes.

"Chen Mo, was this your doing?"

Chen Mo stood with his hands behind his back, treating the old man as if he were air.

"Good, good, good!"

The white-haired old man laughed in spite of his fury, "Absent without leave for several days without cause — by law you should be punished with fifty heavy strokes. That account I haven't settled with you yet, and now you dare to publicly assault a colleague, grievously wounding him!"

"You have violated the Great Yuan Legal Code and shall be arrested on the spot. Even if your father came today, he couldn't save you!"

The white-haired old man swept out his sleeve and reached to grab Chen Mo!

At this moment, the man in the brocade robe stepped forward and blocked the white-haired old man.

"Shen Shuchou, are you also going to openly defy the law and be his accomplice?"

The old man said angrily.

Shen Shuchou said coolly, "Chen Mo is a man of my Gui Water Bureau. It's not your place to discipline him. Even if he's guilty, it should be tried jointly by the Three Bureaus. And besides…"

"What do you count for, that you can speak for the Great Yuan Legal Code?"

"You—!"

The white-haired old man was momentarily choked with rage.

The two were at a stalemate, the atmosphere taut as a drawn bow.

Just then, Chen Mo cleared his throat and said, "Inspector Chu has misunderstood. When have I ever assaulted a colleague?"

The white-haired old man sneered, "Under the eyes of everyone, surely you don't mean to deny it?"

Chen Mo spread his hands, all innocence, and said, "Captain Yan is my closest friend — like a brother to me. What just happened was merely us sparring, an accidental injury. That can't count as violating the Great Yuan Legal Code, can it?"

"Bullshit!"

"Who the hell is your closest—"

Yan Liang said, beside himself with rage.

But what Chen Mo said next made his heart jolt.

"Captain Yan truly has the memory of a busy man. Just a few days ago weren't we drinking and chatting in the little courtyard at Yicui House?"

"You even called over a little lady, wanting to have two bites of the same cherry and recruit me as a kindred spirit… but I'm a man with cleanliness standards, I don't care for that sort of play, so I politely declined."

"I still remember, that little lady was exo…"

"Wait!"

Hearing this, Yan Liang hurriedly cut him off, already drenched in cold sweat.

Chen Mo added with a smile, "Exquisitely beautiful."

"What nonsense is this? What does it have to do with today's matter?"

The white-haired old man said, frowning.

Yan Liang panted heavily, glanced at Chen Mo, and said in a low voice, "my lord, Captain Chen speaks true. A moment ago we were indeed sparring in the martial arts. I'm no match for him — I can't blame him."

"What?!"

The white-haired old man's expression froze.

The whole place instantly erupted in an uproar!

Anyone with eyes could see Chen Mo had deliberately committed the assault!

The two had always been at daggers drawn — how could Yan Liang possibly swallow this bitter grievance?

"Brother, have you lost your mind…"

Yan Xun said, baffled.

"Shut up!"

Yan Liang glared at him, picked up the severed hand from the ground, and in a panic made to leave.

"Hold on."

Chen Mo spoke up.

"What do you want now?"

Yan Liang said, fists clenched.

Chen Mo, hands behind his back, said unhurriedly, "Your younger brother's mouth has no restraint — I don't care for the things he says. What does Brother Yan think should be done about it?"

Yan Liang was silent for a moment, then, holding his right hand with his left, slapped Yan Xun across the face!

"Brother, why are you hitting me?"

Yan Xun covered his face, aggrieved and bewildered.

Yan Liang, seeing Chen Mo had no reaction, gritted his teeth, swung his arm back, and began slapping him hard!

Slap! Slap! Slap! Slap! Slap!

Yan Xun was slapped dizzy, his cheeks swollen like a pig's head, his mouth a mess of fresh blood, every yellow tooth knocked loose!

"Enough?"

Yan Liang's voice was hoarse.

"Tsk tsk."

Chen Mo's expression pained, he said: "I only asked Brother Yan to give me a few pointers, but that hand was way too heavy—even a top wouldn't dare spin that hard."

Yan Xun: "……"

Yan Liang's chest heaved, he gave a cold snort, and strode quickly out of the training ground.

Chen Mo raised his hand and called Liu Mang over, whispered something in his ear.

Liu Mang nodded, called over a few brothers, and hurried after him.

Chen Mo turned around, looked at the crowd, his gaze sweeping across those faces like a blade.

The moment their eyes met his, they crumbled—no one dared meet his gaze.

"Weren't you all laughing happily just now?"

"Why aren't you laughing anymore?"

Chen Mo said, narrowing his eyes slightly.

The entire training ground fell deathly silent—you could hear a pin drop!