Chapter 308: Dread!

Walking the streets himself, Chen Mu immediately felt the "ferocious folkways" described in the reports.

After passing only two main streets, he witnessed three brawls sparked by verbal quarrels or accidental collisions.

Both sides exchanged blows without mercy; passersby seemed unfazed, mostly detouring or standing to watch, with hardly anyone intervening.

After observing, Chen Mu casually chose a tavern that looked busy, sat at a window seat on the second floor, ordered a pot of local rice wine and a few small dishes, sipped slowly while quietly activating his "Listen to the Wind" skill to catch snippets of conversation from the diners at every table.

Soon, the hushed dialogue of three wandering cultivators at the next table caught Chen Mu's attention.

The three were discussing the Liang family, a local clan with a lineage spanning centuries in Weizhou.

Their former patriarch, Old Master Liang, was about to host his hundredth birthday banquet, and since yesterday, guests from all corners had begun arriving at the Liang residence to offer congratulations.

The three wandering cultivators spoke with evident envy and awe toward such an established aristocratic family.

Yet what truly interested Chen Mu was their subsequent whispers, lowered even further.

"Did you hear? Half a year ago, Old Master Liang was rumored to be on his deathbed, on the verge of dying—but recently he's suddenly become vigorous again, and they say his cultivation has even advanced further!"

"Truly strange! Hasn't Old Master Liang been stuck at Seventh Stage Innate for over a decade? How could he suddenly recover—and break through?"

"Heh, who knows what methods he used? Did he obtain a miraculous elixir, or… something more illicit? Few people know the truth…"

"Watch your tongue, watch your tongue!"

…

Chen Mu listened in silence, sipping his wine.

An elderly Seventh Stage Innate cultivator on the brink of death suddenly regaining health—and even advancing in cultivation—was certainly worth pondering.

Whether he used orthodox methods or dark arts, mere speculation could not determine the truth.

After sitting in the tavern for over two hours, until dusk, Chen Mu settled his bill and left.

He found a secluded corner, changed into the official robe of a Town Martial Bureau Inspector, holding his official seal and dispatch order, and walked toward the Weizhou Town Martial Bureau with a solemn expression.

"The visitor… Inspector… Inspector my lord?"

"Your servant bows before my lord!"

"My lord, please enter!"

…

From the grand entrance onward, every Town Martial Bureau guard who saw Chen Mu's official robe and the seal identifying his rank instantly stiffened, bowing deeply with utmost respect.

Chen Mu's face remained expressionless as he walked straight into the bureau's central hall and sat down unceremoniously on the main seat.

Soon, the three remaining officials of Earth Altar Realm—Tang Ji, Du Yuansheng, and He Xiaoming—rushed into the hall upon hearing the news.

All three were Earth Altar Realm Bridge Cultivators, the de facto acting heads of the Weizhou Town Martial Bureau.

"Your servants Tang Ji, Du Yuansheng, and He Xiaoming, bow before my lord!"

The three bowed in unison, their postures humbly low.

"Hmm."

Chen Mu raised his hand slightly, his tone calm, "Rise. I've come here only to temporarily assume the chief's duties for three or four months."

"Daily operations and routine affairs will continue to be decided by your three through mutual consultation. Unless it concerns the stability of the prefecture, there is no need to report to me."

Upon hearing this, Tang Ji and the other two exchanged a swift glance, then respectfully replied.

"Yes! Your servants shall obey my lord's orders!"

"Go about your duties," Chen Mu waved his hand.

"Your servants take leave."

After Tang Ji and the others exited the hall, Chen Mu summoned the guard outside and ordered:

"Bring me a portion of Weizhou's major Juan Sect records, especially those concerning internal factions and major cases in recent years."

"Yes, my lord!" The guard bowed and departed.

Soon, several large wooden chests of Juan Sect records were carried into the hall.

By the bright candlelight, Chen Mu casually flipped through them in the hall, appearing truly content to be merely a passive observer gathering information.

After nightfall, he did not stay in the rear quarters of the Town Martial Bureau, but instead rented a quiet inn nearby, adopting the posture of someone unwilling to interfere in local affairs.

Yet Chen Mu's "governance through non-action" did not reassure Tang Ji and the others.

After leaving the Town Martial Bureau, the three did not return home but secretly gathered in an unremarkable private courtyard within the city.

Doors and windows tightly shut, candlelight flickered, casting their faces in solemn, grim expressions.

"What do we do?"

Tang Ji spoke first, his voice tinged with barely perceptible anxiety, "This Inspector Chen, though he's only just broken through to Earth Altar Realm, his record… Bu Nan Tian died at his hands! Ordinary Earth Altar Bridge cultivators are no match for him!"

"You don't need to tell us that!"

Du Yuansheng waved his hand irritably, cutting him off, "I want to know whether his words today were genuine—that he truly intends to be a hands-off caretaker for these few months—or if he's deliberately lulling us into complacency to lure out the snake!"

"Exactly!"

He Xiaoming nodded grimly in agreement, "We must confirm Chen Mu's true intentions as soon as possible. If he truly has no interest in meddling, fine. But if he's feigning relaxation while secretly investigating… our troubles will be immense!"

The moment He Xiaoming spoke those chilling words, the room sank into a suffocating silence.

The candle flame flickered, illuminating their shifting, uncertain expressions with stark clarity.

They had barely managed to "send away" their former sharp and capable chief, believing they'd gained a precious window of unimpeded time to complete their urgent "task."

Who could have imagined that barely ten days of peace had passed before a Chen Mu was parachuted down from above?

The name Chen Mu now represented talent, strength, and… unquestionable ruthlessness across the Southeast Circuit and beyond.

Facing such a renowned, battle-hardened superior, they felt only profound dread.

"How do we confirm whether Chen Mu truly intends to step back—or…"

In the silence, Du Yuansheng's voice drifted out, breaking the quiet; he left the second half unsaid, but the implication was clear.

"Isn't it simple?"

He Xiaoming curled his lips into a cold smile, "Wouldn't it be enough to stage a small-scale 'accident'? Let's see how this Lord Chen reacts."

"Don't do anything reckless!"

Tang Ji frowned deeply and immediately spoke to stop him; his nature was more cautious, "Chen Mu is no ordinary man—if we mishandle this and make things worse… In my view, we should wait another month, observe his subsequent conduct before…"

"No! There's no time!"

Before Tang Ji could finish, Du Yuansheng cut in firmly, his face tinged with agitation, "The upper echelons have set a strict deadline—we must resolve this completely within half a month! Wait a month? By then, it'll be too late!"

"Then let's stage the accident."

He Xiaoming's voice was low and resolute, "Only by testing whether Chen Mu truly ignores affairs can we act with peace of mind. Otherwise, with him stationed in Weizhoucheng, we can't accomplish anything!"

Tang Ji looked at the two men with unwavering resolve, opened his mouth to urge again, but ultimately only let out a helpless long sigh, his shoulders slumping slightly.

"Sigh… At this point, there's no other choice."