Chapter 55: A Timely Death—Just When It Was Needed

"Madam San, thank you for your hard work," Shanglu said as he hurriedly caught up, speaking to Madam San while stooping to unfasten Sun Ying's sword from her waist. He drew the blade, inspected its edge, then turned back to the head constable Ma, whose blood still poured forth in torrents. Ma truly deserved his reputation as a master of the Meridian Realm; his vitality was formidable. An ordinary man would have stopped bleeding after a few spurts, but Ma was still gushing blood.

With Sun Ying's sword, Shanglu pried the other pair of mandarin axes from Ma’s right hand, letting the blade become soaked in blood. Then, gripping the axe in one hand and the sword in the other, he collided them forcefully a few times. The sword’s edge soon bore several nicks and curls. Satisfied, Shanglu tucked the sword into Ma’s hand, handed the mandarin axes to Xu Biao, and then dragged Xu Biao’s bisected body beside Ma.

Xu Biao’s wounds were slashes, so there was no need for further arrangement. The only flaw was that Xu Biao had been dead for two or three days; his blood had long drained, and livor mortis had set in. Fortunately, the investigation had previously revealed Zhao Hai’s use of human bodies to refine forbidden pills, and the Black Wind Gang had been denounced as a cult. Among cultists, it wasn’t unusual for someone to practice some sinister art and turn themselves into something neither living nor dead.

Moreover, Ma had made thorough preparations for tonight. The entire yamen knew Xu Biao was in town; not only had the constabulary gone all out, but patrols and strongmen had joined the hunt. Under such circumstances, how could Xu Biao possibly be a man dead for days? How could someone dead for days still be haunting the county town and killing officers?

Thus, Xu Biao was certainly alive; the corpse spots and stiffness were merely the effects of his evil arts. As long as Shanglu steered everyone’s reasoning in this direction, the flaws could be concealed. Even if suspicions lingered, none would fall upon him.

Just as Shanglu finished arranging the scene, shouts echoed from a nearby alley—patrolling constables, alerted by the commotion, were coming to investigate. Without hesitation, Shanglu turned and left. Madam San followed closely, carefully erasing footprints and traces behind him. When finished, she floated ahead, guiding his escape so he wouldn’t run into the approaching constables.

Not long after Shanglu’s departure, a clatter of hurried footsteps filled the alley, accompanied by the glow of torches. The pitch-black lane was instantly illuminated.

"Someone's here!"

The foremost white-clad constable, seeing the scene in the alley, let out a shriek like a startled marmot. His team leader, startled by the cry, relaxed upon seeing the "someone" was just a river of blood and corpses sprawled across the ground, and cursed aloud, "Stop howling—go see who’s dead."

For tonight’s operation, both Ma and Sun Ying wore black nightclothes. The constables didn’t recognize them from afar. Only when they drew near and pulled off their masks did they gasp in shock.

"It’s Head Constable Ma! He’s dead!"

"This is Xu Biao? Ma killed Xu Biao, but Xu Biao killed Ma as well?"

Someone found Sun Ying’s corpse nearby, but compared to Ma and Xu Biao, her death drew little attention.

"Sound the gong and summon everyone!"

Sensing something amiss, the team leader hastily ordered. Immediately, a white-clad constable produced a bronze gong and struck it loudly. Hearing the gong, constables from all around rushed over, shocked by the sight.

Shanglu feigned ignorance, hurrying over: "Why the alarm? Did you find Xu Biao?"

A constable quickly replied, "Constable Shang, Xu Biao is dead—Ma killed him!"

Shanglu acted surprised: "Ma? Wasn’t he searching elsewhere? Why is he here in the south of town? Where is he?"

At this, several constables realized: Indeed, Ma was supposed to be leading the search elsewhere—why was he here? Was he chasing Xu Biao? And why was he in nightclothes, with his face hidden?

"Why else? He was disguising himself!"

Soon, the magistrate and chief clerk received the news and, surrounded by officials and local militia, arrived at the alley to see the corpses of Ma, Xu Biao, and others.

The chief clerk, seeing Ma’s attire, ground his teeth in anger. "I knew it. After Xu Biao and his men killed Zhao Hai and stole the hidden silver, they vanished without a trace because they had an accomplice helping them cover up!"

His words struck everyone as reasonable. The task of hunting Xu Biao had been entirely entrusted to Ma. If Ma was involved, he could easily help Xu Biao and his gang disappear right under their noses.

Even the magistrate nodded. Still, he raised a question: "If they were cooperating, why would they kill each other here?"

"Because Xu Biao’s gang was exposed. We launched a citywide search. Ma feared they’d be caught and confess, so he tried to silence them!" the chief clerk declared decisively.

This explanation had several flaws, but the chief clerk didn’t care about the details. The truth behind Ma and Xu Biao’s mutual destruction was irrelevant to him.

What mattered was Ma was dead. Previously, the chief clerk had blamed the falsification of the merit records on the Black Wind Gang, claiming they colluded with the yamen clerks. But scapegoating minor clerks wasn’t enough; he needed someone of substance to shoulder the blame.

He’d been fretting over whom to sacrifice—but now, with Ma dead, the problem was solved. The dead make no protest, nor can they drag him down. Ma’s conduct and disguise tonight were highly suspicious. Regardless of whether Ma actually colluded with Xu Biao, he must be deemed guilty.

The magistrate saw through the chief clerk’s intentions but didn’t object. Ma’s death suited him too. If the Black Wind Gang, as a cult, had only bribed petty officials, their threat would seem paltry, diminishing the merit of suppressing them. Ma’s timely death was perfect.

As for Xu Biao, he seemed to have been dead for days—supposedly the result of his evil arts. Such skills attested to the Black Wind Gang’s bizarre power, further boosting their notoriety.

With the chief officials’ verdict, Ma’s death was settled and judged. The chief clerk immediately ordered a continued citywide search for Xu Biao’s accomplices and the stolen silver. He also sent trusted aides to search Ma’s home. He urgently needed funds, and even if Ma hadn’t received any stolen silver, his years of graft must have amassed considerable wealth.

Shanglu stood aside, feeling somewhat bewildered. All his prepared explanations proved unnecessary. This was for the best: with Ma and Xu Biao’s deaths so conclusively judged by the magistrate and chief clerk, even if doubts arose, none would dare speak, much less suspect him.

With Ma dead, the head constable’s position was vacant. Shanglu pondered—after a few days, he would make a public display of "breaking through" to the Meridian Realm before the yamen, claiming the position for himself.

The steps of advancement must never cease! Only with strength and status can one avoid becoming someone else's pawn.