NOVEL NEXT Chapter 46: Got It
Chapter 46: Got It
Under the cover of night, Xu Lian waited for one of the stone-cutting masters to go to the toilet. With his face covered, he followed quietly.
Grabbing the man from behind, Xu Lian pressed a hand over his mouth and a sharp dagger against his neck.
With the strength of a Bone Tempering Realm martial artist, holding an ordinary man was no harder than holding a goose.
Xu Lian spoke with a cold, measured voice:
“First, I’m going to ask you a question. Then I’ll remove my hand from your mouth. You will answer in a low voice.
If you scream or lie, I’ll stab you right here.
If you answer honestly and calmly, I won’t kill you; I’ll just knock you out.
Do you understand? Nod if you do.”
Terrified, the master nodded vigorously.
Xu Lian asked his question:
“Has anyone extracted stone marrow recently? If yes, where is it kept?”
He slowly removed his hand from the master’s mouth, but kept the blade pressed against his neck.
The man, pale and trembling, stammered in a hushed voice:
“I… I don’t know what stone marrow is. But two days ago, we found something strange in one of the stones. It’s in the treasure room, in the shed on the left.”
Xu Lian narrowed his eyes. “How many guards are there in the treasure room?”
He already knew from the mine supervisor – a middle-aged man – that three martial artists and several knife-wielding guards were stationed there. This was just a confirmation.
The master, still shaking, replied, “I only work in the shed. I’m not allowed to go elsewhere, but I’ve heard that there are some armed men guarding it.”
Xu Lian struck the man at the back of the neck with the edge of his hand. The master fell unconscious to the ground.
Without delay, Xu Lian crept toward the treasure room.
After careful observation, he noticed that only one martial artist and six or seven knife-wielding guards were on duty.
“Where are the other two martial artists and the rest of the guards?”
Xu Lian assumed that they were sleeping, probably on rotating shifts. Still, the lack of visibility made him uneasy. If they were hidden, it could spell trouble for him.
Remaining cautious, he inspected the nearby buildings. Sure enough, he found the others soundly sleeping. Satisfied, he proceeded.
With a sharp burst of speed, Xu Lian launched his attack.
Thwack!
The martial artist guarding the camp didn’t even have time to react before Xu Lian hit him hard in the neck. The man groaned, blood spurting from his mouth and nose, stars dancing in his vision.
Xu Lian delivered two more heavy blows, making sure the man was completely unconscious.
Next, he turned his attention to the six or seven guards.
These men were trained in martial arts, but they were nowhere near the level of martial artists. Before they could even process what was happening, Xu Lian had knocked them all out.
The entire series of actions took less than a single breath.
“That was smoother than expected,” Xu Lian muttered.
Searching the unconscious martial artist, he found the key to the treasure storage.
Upon opening the storage, he spotted a jade box.
Inside the box was a substance that resembled silken tofu.
“Is this stone marrow?”
Xu Lian, who had no idea about the peculiarities of cultivation treasures, was unsure if this was indeed stone marrow. However, since the jade box was the only thing stored here, it was likely what he sought.
He tucked the box into his robes.
Suddenly, the sharp ringing of a bell shattered the silence!
Xu Lian’s face darkened. “Damn it. Did moving the jade box set off an alarm?”
Without wasting any time, he bolted out of the storage room.
The commotion woke up the martial artists and guards in the nearby building. Barefoot and wearing only white robes, they rushed after him.
“Shit! I’ve overplayed my hand!” Xu Lian cursed as he sprinted off into the night.
Xu Lian leaped over the wall, abandoning even the donkey he’d prepared for his escape, and broke into a full sprint.
The two martial artists behind him were relentless, their crazed expressions fixed on him as they chased after him.
Xu Lian’s heart sank. These two were just as fast as he was – Bone Tempering Realm martial artists like him. Matching their speed and strength, how was he supposed to shake them off?
As for the knife-wielding guards behind them, they weren’t worth considering anymore.
“That won’t work. I have to take care of those two first,” Xu Lian thought grimly.
Clenching his teeth, he made a split second decision. He stopped, turned around and prepared to fight.
Drawing the dagger tucked into his waistband, Xu Lian wielded it like a sword and unleashed the Breaking Wind Sword Technique.
This technique had been directly integrated into his skill set by the system. There was no need for practice – he could execute it flawlessly from the start.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Blades of wind shot out with each strike.
The expressions of the two martial artists changed dramatically. Unable to dodge in time, they could only raise their arms in a desperate attempt to block.
Boom!
Boom!
Two deafening thumps followed. The sleeves of the martial artists’ clothes were torn to shreds, their arms dripping with blood as the force of the attack sent their bodies flying. They fell heavily to the ground, coughing up blood.
They were badly injured.
“This…”
Xu Lian froze for a moment, startled. He had seen the White Cat Avatar use the Breaking Wind Sword Technique before. While it had produced wind slashes, this was the first time he’d tested it in real combat. He hadn’t expected it to be so devastating.
The Yi Sect, which had provided this sword technique, was truly remarkable. Even the first volume technique they had given him was so powerful.
Or maybe… the two martial artists were just too weak.
“Don’t follow me,” Xu Lian said coldly, warning the injured men before turning and sprinting away.
Some time later, as he put more distance between himself and the treasure storage, a dark shadow darted toward the scene.
“Where is the person who stole the stone marrow?” the shadow demanded.
The two martial artists, who had barely managed to sit up, shakily pointed in the direction where Xu Lian had fled.
“Swish!”
The shadow sped off in pursuit.
Xu Lian had already run several miles when he heard the sound of rapid footsteps closing in behind him. His face darkened, and a chill ran down his spine.
A master was coming.
“Someone this fast… it must be the Quarry Patrol Inspector from Stone Town,” Xu Lian thought, his mind racing.
“What should I do? What should I do?”
Fighting wasn’t an option – the inspector’s strength was surely far beyond the Bone Tempering Realm.
Running? The Inspector’s speed made that unlikely.
Trying to talk his way out of it? No chance. He’d likely be dead before he could even get a word in.
“My strength isn’t enough to handle this. I’ll have to let the white cat avatar handle it.”
At this point, his only concern was survival.
Pretending not to notice the figure behind him, Xu Lian continued to run as if he was unaware of the approaching danger.
Meanwhile, the White Cat Avatar, hidden in the shadows, stepped out and blocked the path of the pursuing figure.
The dark shadow came to an abrupt halt when it saw a white cat standing calmly in the road. Around the cat’s neck was a badge that read Pingyang County Inspector.
The shadow-a black dog-immediately froze, its body stiffening. Instinctively, it raised its front paws and bowed in greeting.
“The subordinate greets the inspector,” the black dog said, its voice trembling with respect.
Through the eyes of the white cat avatar, Xu Lian watched the scene unfold.
“Unbelievable,” Xu Lian thought.
The figure chasing him wasn’t a human – it was a black dog!
Undoubtedly, the black dog was also an Earth Flesh Avatar.
The white cat looked at the black dog calmly and asked, “I just arrived in Stone Town for an inspection, and I see you chasing someone. What’s going on?”
The black dog quickly replied, “Your subordinate was chasing a thief who stole the stone marrow.”
“The stone marrow was stolen?”
The white cat raised its voice and scolded, “How are you even serving as a quarry patrol inspector if you can’t properly guard the stone marrow?”
The black dog remained silent, not daring to argue.
The white cat continued angrily, “What are you standing around for? Go chase after them!”
The black dog immediately resumed its pursuit, but the brief delay meant that the thief had already vanished without a trace.
It returned to the white cat, its expression subtly uneasy. The timing of the inspector’s arrival was just too perfect, raising suspicions it didn’t dare voice.
A higher ranking official could crush someone with a single word, and the Inspector outranked it by a full three levels. How could it question such an authority?
“Did you catch the thief?” the white cat asked, feigning ignorance.
The black dog shook its head. “Your subordinate is incompetent…”
“How much marrow was stolen?”
The black dog reported, “Just a single piece from the vein discovered the day before yesterday. Due to its small quantity, your subordinate hadn’t sent it for submission yet.”
“Does this happen often in Stone Town?”
The white cat snorted coldly. “If it happens regularly, I’d have to suspect you of collusion! I’ll report this situation to my superiors. It will be up to them what punishment they decide for you!”
The black dog hastily explained, “This has never happened before. It’s the first time the stone marrow has been stolen. I promise to strengthen the guards in the future and make sure this never happens again. I beg for your mercy, Inspector!”
The white cat pondered for a moment before softening its tone. “If this is the first time, then I suppose it’s excusable. I’ll let it go this time. But if it happens again, don’t expect me to be so forgiving.”
“Thank you, Inspector!” said the black dog gratefully.
The white cat remarked, “How audacious-someone dared to steal cultivation resources from the Yi Sect. Don’t they know whose territory they’re on? Immediately put out a bulletin for the thief. Publicize it throughout the entire town. Anyone who provides information will be rewarded handsomely.”
The black dog promptly agreed, “Yes, sir.”
The white cat strolled leisurely into the forest, disappearing in the shadows of the night.
The black dog stood there, staring blankly in the direction the inspector had gone, lost in thought.
Should it issue the wanted notice or not?
If he issued the notice and later discovered that the thief was connected to the inspector, he would offend the inspector and face severe consequences.
If he didn’t issue the notice and the thief had no connection to the inspector, it would be defying orders – also an offense with dire consequences.
“Since the inspector gave the order, I’ll have to issue the wanted notice… but I can’t take it too seriously. I’ll just go through the motions,” the black dog concluded.
After much deliberation, it finally decided on its course of action.