Chapter 8: I Never Follow the Rules

Sword Dynasty

Volume 2

Chapter 8: I Never Follow the Rules

After the snowfall, Changling became bone-chillingly cold. Although the sky stopped snowing, the layers of snow that had accumulated in the shadows and on the roofs did not melt easily. Eventually, the snow hardened into a layer of ice mixed with dust.

There were few people moving around the Bureau of Divinity, and the blanket of snow on many of the paths had not melted. Footprints of varying depths were etched into the light gray ice, the presence of those who left these footprints undetectable, adding to the eerie atmosphere surrounding the Bureau of Divinity.

Occasionally, shrill screams that seemed muffled, as if the victims' mouths were gagged, so they did not resemble screams, leaked out from the cracks in the doors before echoing through the corridors and quickly fading away.

Clothing in a dark red robe, Bureau Chief Chen looked disheveled and haggard. He walked slowly along the snow-covered paths, giving the impression of a withered pomegranate, making it difficult for people to associate him with the high-ranking and influential officials of the Qin Dynasty.

The deaf and mute old servant who always drove his carriage was waiting for him at the gate of the Bureau of Divinity. He did not give any orders, nor did this old servant make any hand signals. After he boarded the carriage, the old servant drove the carriage, which seemed to circle aimlessly through the streets of Changling.

Inside the simple carriage cabin, Bureau Chief Chen's head was slightly lowered as if he were asleep. But every now and then, he slowly raised his head and opened the curtain.

This unmarked carriage was now drove into the shadows beside the high wall.

As he opened the carriage curtain, a wave of primal energies of the universe spread silently from his body. Without the slightest breeze in the air, ripples of crystal-like light quickly gathered around his body as if forming countless mirrors, reflecting the surrounding light.

He was dressed in a dark red robe, but passersby would only see the curtain swaying, as if blown by the wind, and not his body walking out of the carriage.

At this moment, he appeared translucent.

Then, he flew lightly over the high wall and landed in the courtyard.

Inside was a flower garden that had been covered in winter snow.

Bureau Chief Chen passed through this garden and walked into the corridor. The crystal-like light that had gathered around him slowly faded, and his body appeared in the air like a ghost.

He walked straight down this corridor to the rear of the compound and stopped in front of a study. He deliberately did not hide the sound of his footsteps.

Inside the study stood a long-bearded middle-aged man who looked like a scholar, dressed in a gray brocade robe. He had originally been grinding ink, as if writing a letter, but the extremely cold weather made the ink difficult to dissolve.

When the long-bearded middle-aged man heard the unfamiliar footsteps, he did not stop grinding his ink. Although he knew this was an unexpected visitor, in his eyes, few people in Changling could pose a threat to him.

But how could one of the few powerful individuals who could pose a threat to him appear before him in this way?

So, when Bureau Chief Chen's footsteps stopped, he revealed a smug grin. “It's cold outside. Since you've come, don't wait outside.”

Hearing the words from the study, Bureau Chief Chen's expression remained unchanged, and he did not make any additional movements. The door to the study in front of him was pushed open by the aura radiating from his body.

The long-bearded middle-aged man narrowed his eyes slightly. He was about to say something when he suddenly saw the crimson robes worn by Bureau Chief Chen, and felt a strange aura of mingled luxury and gloom, which suddenly froze the arrogance on his face.

“You… you are the Bureau Chief of the Bureau of Divinity…” A cold, piercing air flowed from within him, leaving him tongue-tied.

“Yes. I am.” Bureau Chief Chen said curtly.

The long-bearded middle-aged man instantly paled.

“I know you are a very special middleman.” Bureau Chief Chen stared at him coldly. His next words were slow, clear, and extremely direct. “Some cultivators in the outer commanderies want to live a prosperous life, and there are places where they have to spend a lot of silver to cultivate. But because there are no wars going on right now, they can't accumulate military achievements, can't receive awards, and can't receive any promotions. However, they have high combat abilities, and some of them will do things like kill for other people. The nobles in Changling need someone to help them kill some people so that the trouble won't involve themselves.”

Thinking of the rumors about the mysterious bureau chief of the Bureau of Divinity, the long-bearded middle-aged man's face began to sweat. “No matter what you say, it has nothing to do with me. You can't possibly have any proof.” He said loudly.

“You're right. I have no proof.”

Bureau Chief Chen looked down coldly.

The long-bearded middle-aged man suddenly seemed to realize something. His eyes immediately filled with disbelief. A ball of light like the rising sun formed in his hand, emitting an unusual, terrifying presence that could destroy this entire study room at once.

But just at this moment, his thought suddenly became dizzy. The world blurred before his eyes. His movements became extremely slow due to the dizziness in his thought.

A dark red sword light flew out from the sleeve of Bureau Chief Chen's dark red robe. The light nimbly pierced his heart meridian.

The long-bearded middle-aged man's thought immediately cleared up. However, a chill instantly spread from his heart meridian. He watched the dark red sword light return to his sleeve. The power within his body receded like a tide, and the bright light like the rising sun in his hand was just a hair's breadth away from leaving but was unable to.

“Why?”

The long-bearded middle-aged man could not understand what method the mysterious bureau chief of the Bureau of Divinity had used to make him lose focus in an instant. He also could not understand why the other would dare to kill him in a situation where he had absolutely no evidence.

“There's no reason.” Bureau Chief Chen said coldly, “It's just that you don't understand me… because I never act according to the rules.”

The long-bearded middle-aged man clutched his chest and slowly sat down. In great pain and confusion, he asked, “You are the chief of the Bureau of Divinity. According to Qin law, you supervise officials. If people like you don't follow the rules, wouldn't your crimes be even greater? Even if you don't follow the rules, why must you kill me? Why don't you want to know anything from me?”

“People in my position will survive in Changling based on our loyalty to the Qin Dynasty and His Majesty the Emperor, and not based on our crimes.” Bureau Chief Chen stared at the man who did not want to die. He said coldly, “The things you can tell me aren’t absolute proof for those nobles. I just need to make the situation more chaotic… when someone panics, they’ll make mistakes, so I can trap them.” He said coldly.

The long-bearded middle-aged man was in even great pain. He made a strange sound from his throat. “Then why me? Why me of all people?”

“Because of your identity.” Bureau Chief Chen looked at him expressionlessly and said, “Because you’re not from the military. If I kill you, no one in the military will notice except for the military officials connected to you who will send military forces to investigate this matter. He probably wants to know which faction is behind this. If he investigates, I might find out who he is.”

The long-bearded middle-aged man breathed his last, collapsed onto the table, and succumbed to the pain.

Bureau Chief Chen once again radiated powerful primal energies of the universe, and his body became transparent in the air. He passed through the high wall and walked as if intangible through the alley.

No one that passed him noticed his existence.

He walked through many streets and alleys. He lifted the curtain of the carriage that was still moving slowly and sat in the cabin as if nothing had happened.

Every day, he would be seen riding in this carriage, driven by this deaf and mute old servant. He would patrol the streets and alleys of Changling, occasionally giving a few orders. Other than that, he seemed to do nothing all day.

In the high-walled courtyard he had just left, more blood seeped from the chest of the long-bearded middle-aged man who had died on the table. The blood eventually covered the entire table and then spilled over the corners and onto the ground.

 

At the exact same time, Ding Ning was also in a moving carriage.

As Bureau Chief Chen's primal energies of the universe turned into nothingness and he lowered his head in thought, Ding Ning also lowered his head in thought.

He was not unfamiliar with Zhushan District of Ba Commandery. The richest and most powerful family in Zhushan District was the Feng Family.

The Feng Family was also pictured in the flowers on the wall of his wine shop.

 

Notes:

This novel is not my work... I just translated it from a Chinese web novel written by Wu Zui

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