Liao San's misunderstanding deepened. "Ah Cheng," he said anxiously, "don't tell me you're really giving up after one little setback?"
"This assessment isn't necessarily a setback, Third Brother," Chen Cheng said, shaking his head slightly.
Just then, one of the five—a pale-skinned young man with a mole on his chin—strode toward Chen Cheng.
Aside from the five of them, Chen Cheng was the only one on the training grounds not wearing the uniform of a City Guard Department constable. He was also young, so the man recognized at a glance that Chen Cheng was their competitor for the Preparatory Constable spot.
"So, you're the one who wants to test your Martial Dao against us?"
The young man with the mole lifted his chin high, his eyes full of disdain.
'A plainly dressed, scrawny-looking commoner actually dared to compete with real Martial Artists like them. It was utterly laughable.'
'The young man with the mole was certain he could make this shabby-looking kid spit up blood—or even kill him outright—with a single punch.'
The young man with the mole had a fair complexion, but his frame was tall and powerful. Chen Cheng silently assessed his strength before replying calmly after a moment, "I just want to join the City Guard Department."
"Hah!" The young man with the mole laughed. "I came over with the good intention of telling you to give up while you can, but it seems you don't know what's good for you!
In that case, don't blame me for what happens next. I won't be holding back."
As he spoke, the young man with the mole tilted his neck from side to side, his joints rubbing together and letting out a series of crisp cracks. He then clenched his fists, his knuckles also popping loudly.
Those sounds were no small feat; he was flaunting his Martial Arts Power.
"I forgot to mention, my Fierce Tiger Fist has already reached the Great Success level..."
He left the sentence hanging and strode away. The unspoken half was obvious: getting hit by someone at the Great Success Level of a Fist Technique would have very serious consequences.
"That's Li Lin from the Tiger Power Martial Arts Hall," Liao San warned. "Since his Fist Technique is at the Great Success level, you'd best avoid a contest of fists if you draw him."
"Mm," Chen Cheng acknowledged with a slight nod, his gaze growing more profound.
"The Chief Constable and the others are here," Liao San suddenly said.
Chen Cheng followed his gaze and saw a group of people walking leisurely along the bluestone path toward the training grounds.
The one in the lead, surprisingly a young woman in her early twenties, wore a blue, cloud-patterned uniform. A three-foot-long, jade-green Longsword hung at her waist, and her gait was composed.
Following her were several Chief Constables, Liu Yunfeng among them, dressed in black, cloud-patterned uniforms.
Also in the group were an older man around fifty and another in his forties.
Both the older man and the man in his forties were dressed in Martial Arts Hall attire.
"The Branch Chief Constable is a woman?" Chen Cheng asked in surprise.
Liao San nodded and whispered, "Our Branch Chief Constable is Shen Qingshuang, from the Inner City's Shen Family. She's a very important person. You must be respectful when you see her."
"Alright." Chen Cheng nodded, then asked, "Third Brother, is the Preparatory Constable assessment that important? Why would the Branch Chief Constable come in person?"
Liao San shook his head, equally perplexed. "The Preparatory Constable assessment isn't a major event. Especially this time, when the spots are basically set and only one person needs to be eliminated. It's a trivial matter for the Ruyi District Sub-Department. I never expected the Branch Chief Constable to show up in person either."
This Branch Chief Constable had fair skin, sparkling eyes, and a stunningly beautiful face, but her demeanor was ice-cold. A pair of long, slender, and well-toned legs made her seem even taller.
Chen Cheng never would have imagined in a million years that the Branch Chief Constable of the Ruyi District Sub-Department would be a woman like her.
'I'm just trying to land a minor position as a Preparatory Constable. How did I get dragged into such a complicated mess?'
Shen Qingshuang walked straight to the viewing stand overlooking the training grounds.
Liu Yunfeng scanned the area, then quickly walked towards Chen Cheng.
"Greetings, Chief Liu." Chen Cheng hurried forward to meet him, cupping his hands in a salute.
Liu Yunfeng smiled. "Ah Cheng, has Liao San told you about today's situation?"
Chen Cheng nodded. "Yes, Third Brother said that if I want to become a Preparatory Constable, I need to pass an assessment."
Liu Yunfeng sighed softly. "You were already a Prison Guard and on the roster. Normally, you could have joined the City Guard Department as a Preparatory Constable directly. But we're short on positions, and that scoundrel Zhao Yongfeng and I don't see eye-to-eye, which led to this whole spectacle."
As Liu Yunfeng spoke, he looked into the distance with a complex expression.
A Chief Constable in his thirties was walking over to the five disciples from the martial arts halls.
The Chief Constable was tall and powerfully built, with piercing eyes and an impressive aura. This must be Zhao Yongfeng.
Zhao Yongfeng exchanged a few quiet words with the five disciples, then turned to look at Liu Yunfeng, a cold smirk on his face.
"Ah Cheng, have you ever cultivated the Martial Dao before?" Liu Yunfeng asked.
He had personally seen Ma Liu's broken limbs at Locust Tree Lane, courtesy of Chen Cheng, so he knew the young man had some ability.
Therefore, when Chen Cheng found Liao San to ask for help and showed interest in joining the City Guard Department, Liu Yunfeng readily agreed.
'In Liu Yunfeng's opinion, Chen Cheng had both skill and a ruthless streak. He was perfectly suited to be a street patrol constable and would undoubtedly make a fine subordinate in the future.'
After a moment's thought, Chen Cheng answered casually, "Back in the Prison, I learned some Scattering Hand Techniques from my fellow Prison Guards and from the inmates who cultivated the Martial Dao. I also practice a Saber Technique my father left me.
In my spare time at home, I just work on building my strength and practicing my Saber Technique."
'The Iron Armor Skill was an Inner Breath Technique, which Chen Cheng had no intention of revealing. As for the Wind Chasing Saber Technique, he had already prepared a cover story: it was an inheritance from his late father.
Prison Guards often dealt with inmates who cultivated the Martial Dao, so stumbling upon a Saber Technique Manual or two was a plausible story.'
Liu Yunfeng considered this for a moment. "If you've only learned a few Scattering Hand Techniques, this assessment will be tough. Why don't you wait for the next opportunity? I'll find another way to arrange for your entry then."
Clearly, he didn't think Chen Cheng stood a chance against the five disciples from the martial arts halls.
'A Prison Guard who just trained his strength at home and taught himself a Saber Technique... Even if he were a genius, how could his power possibly compare to that of disciples who had formally joined a Martial Arts Hall and received personal instruction from a master?'
"Mr. Liu, let me give it a try. I might just be able to pass the assessment," Chen Cheng said with a serious expression.
Liu Yunfeng's eyes lit up. "Ah Cheng," he praised, "I knew I wasn't wrong about you! You're willing to rise to the challenge. Even if you lose, you'll have done so with dignity. The next time I vouch for you, I doubt Zhao Yongfeng or Lord Shen will have any objections.
Just do your best in the test. They are disciples from martial arts halls, after all. Just be careful and try not to get hurt."
Chen Cheng replied, "Understood."
With that, Liu Yunfeng made his way to the viewing stand.
Chen Cheng looked at his back, then at Shen Qingshuang on the stand, lost in thought.
'Having lived two lives, his intuition told him that today's events weren't as simple as they seemed. Something felt off, even bizarre.
For the Branch Chief Constable, Shen Qingshuang, to personally attend a simple Preparatory Constable assessment was highly unusual. It could only mean one thing: she was not only aware of the rivalry between Liu Yunfeng and Zhao Yongfeng but was happy to watch it play out. She might even be fanning the flames.
He hadn't even joined the City Guard Department, yet it seemed he was already caught in the crossfire between Liu Yunfeng and Zhao Yongfeng.
The Ruyi District Sub-Department of the City Guard was shaping up to be a real den of vipers!'