Chapter 84: Chapter 76: Another Knife Seller
When he first arrived in Yanzhou City, Du Chengfeng initially thought it was a safe city.
After all, entering even required registration, and there were stringent security measures—long knives and longswords were not allowed on the streets, and would be confiscated upon sight. Compared to Jibei, where people were often hacked down in the streets and fights over water at the village head could claim several lives, Yanzhou City seemed like a peaceful and safe place.
But only now did Du Chengfeng realize, there might be something wrong with that notion.
For instance, if Yanzhou City were truly that peaceful, why would everyone need to pass security checks upon entering?
"Even banning long knives and longswords doesn’t seem to be of much use, does it?"
Looking at the freshly killed corpse on the ground, Du Chengfeng couldn’t help but scratch his head.
The nighttime in Yanzhou City was completely different from the seemingly mundane daytime; it was indeed lively. Just walking back from the city gate to his residence, Du Chengfeng had killed as many as nine people.
Two ruffians from a fallen household, an assistant from a general store, two sedan chair carriers, two thieves creeping in the dark, a begging vagrant, and even a prostitute from a brothel.
Adding in that cook from Qingyang Building earlier, the short knives and dirks these people left behind actually formed a complete set of ten in the end.
However, this set of ten didn’t offer anything good. The cook was skilled in preparing feasts, the two ruffians knew only how to extort and feign injury, the store assistant was good at shouting, the beggar could perform folk songs, and the items left behind by the sedan bearers and thieves were useful—they knew the daytime and nighttime Yanzhou City, respectively, giving Du Chengfeng considerable familiarity with the city’s terrain. As for the prostitute... Du Chengfeng really couldn’t figure out how learning makeup and grooming could benefit him.
Exactly, they were just a bunch of miscellaneous small things. These people dared to attack and kill lone pedestrians at night, yet not one of them knew martial arts.
They were just ordinary people, who couldn’t even necessarily win in a fistfight against others.
But now, under the cover of night, they all became ruthless assassins.
"Is it all because of this..."
Pulling open his robes, Du Chengfeng glanced at the increasing number of short blades and dirks inside.
The only commonality among these people was that they bought these so-called "problem-solving" knives from some shady person, and indeed used these knives to solve their issues in a literal sense. After tasting the benefits of killing, infused with evil Qi in Du Chengfeng’s view, they couldn’t stop themselves.
Much like the prairie warriors under He Xiqing, the evil Qi from killing gradually amplified these ordinary people’s strength, propelling them to transcend ordinary limits and step towards something non-human.
Even though these people hadn’t practiced martial arts, it wouldn’t be easy for even a dozen soldiers to apprehend them, let alone ordinary pedestrians on night roads, who likely wouldn’t survive on first sight.
Unfortunately, Du Chengfeng couldn’t be considered an ordinary pedestrian.
"Are you even still human?"
Just as Du Chengfeng was about to open the courtyard gate and check out his new residence, a voice sounded behind him.
"These are all blades I’ve nurtured for more than half a year. I could disregard you taking one or two since we’re in the same trade, but grabbing ten heads’ worth without even a hello, isn’t that a bit overboard? Do you think I’m dead?"
"...Who are you?"
Du Chengfeng turned around in surprise, to find a figure draped in a large robe squatting on a nearby rooftop, looking down at him.
Though the other person was concealing themselves, even covering their face, the familiar aura unmistakably matched the memory of that knife seller appearing among the blades—the one who sold the killing short blades!
"I’m the Yanzhou intelligence head, code-named Sparrowhawk."
The shadowy figure leapt down from the roof, sizing up Du Chengfeng’s robe.
"Your clothes... Aren’t you new here in the Spanish?"
"Ah?"
Du Chengfeng was momentarily stumped by the question.
This robe he wore was picked up at the lively market in Jibei; coincidentally, he came across a knife seller and bought the entire set of seventeen knives along with this robe as part of the package. All this time, he just thought the old robe decent to wear, with the knives providing an inner layer of protection.
Apparently, this old robe had another significance?
"I mean, um... Sparrowhawk, right?"
Du Chengfeng paused for a moment.
Initially, he thought the knife seller were illicit; he had planned to track them using the knives’ memories and deliver punishment. But now, hearing the seller’s words, it seemed the other party was well-organized? Yanzhou’s intelligence head?
Sounded like some formal official organization. Could they be colleagues in Yanzhou?
Though Du Chengfeng sensed the person’s activities weren’t noble, recalling the sinister Qi of these blades and the absurdity of this new age of Southern Chen, it dawned on him that nothing in this world should be surprising.
"Since we’re all on the same side, why not come in and have a chat?"
After pondering, Du Chengfeng decided to first open the mansion’s gate, preparing to converse with this unknown colleague, collecting information from Yanzhou.
Who could have predicted that a simple gate-opening gesture would leave the self-proclaimed Sparrowhawk speechless?
"Isn’t... isn’t this the residence of Yanzhou’s Armory Chief? What are you... wait?"
The knife seller now known as Sparrowhawk, suddenly realizing something, widened his eyes.
"I heard a Master Craftsman just arrived in Yanzhou today, could it be..."
"Indeed, that’s me."
Du Chengfeng cupped his hands, acknowledging.
After all, he wasn’t lying; he was indeed a newly arrived Master Craftsman, whether from Jizhou or Yanzhou... the Sparrowhawk hadn’t asked about that.
"That’s wonderful!"
Sparrowhawk excitedly clapped his hands.
"Never thought another colleague could reach such a position! This gives much hope for our great undertaking!"
"Our great undertaking?"
Du Chengfeng was taken aback by what he heard.
Though he could comprehend "great undertaking," using the term here sounded... peculiar?
"Yes! Our great undertaking!"
With that said, Sparrowhawk cupped his hands towards the north.
"When the Khan’s heavenly troops arrive, the minor Southern Chen children will be no match but chickens and dogs!"
