Dingbo Province.
A carriage rolled along a wide, paved street.
A young man wore a gentle smile on his face.
"Of the realm's thirteen provinces, Dingbo Province boasts the cleanest governance, where the common folk live and work in peace and contentment."
Chi Changle had a slender frame with sunken eyes, his long robe draping over him as though hung upon a coat rack.
Qi Yuan looked out through the carriage window. Street vendors and hawkers lined both sides, and though clad in coarse hemp garments, rarely was anyone sallow or emaciated.
Stripped of their clothes and judged purely by physique, Chi Changle would probably look the poorest of them all.
"Compared to other places, it truly is much better," Qi Yuan remarked.
Whether Ninghe County, Fengshan Commandery, or Yeshan Lake, none seemed to match this province.
"Dingbo Province is also known as Liuzhou," Chi Changle said with meaningful nuance.
This "Liu," naturally, referred to the Liu family.
"Back then, the imperial family overturned every policy left behind by the God of Judgment, and only Liuzhou managed to preserve a few," Chi Changle lamented. "Still, ever since Prince Zhenyuan took up station here, who knows how much longer such days will last."
As he spoke, a look of worry surfaced in his eyes.
"Is Prince Zhenyuan very powerful?" Qi Yuan asked.
Chi Changle froze for a moment, not expecting anyone to be ignorant of Prince Zhenyuan.
"Of the Seven Gods of the World, Prince Zhenyuan is one," Chi Changle lowered his voice. "Duke Liu is also one of the Seven Gods."
Duke Liu was the strongest expert in Dingbo Province, its sole God-rank weapon wielder.
"It seems this Prince Zhenyuan cultivates quite diligently," Qi Yuan offered as his assessment.
Chi Changle chuckled. "You would do well to mention Prince Zhenyuan's name as little as possible in the future. Dingbo Province crawls with his spies—they are known as Blood Hand, and wherever they appear, bloodshed follows!"
"What is their strength?" Qi Yuan asked.
"Their four Directors are all peak Heaven-rank weapon wielders, and the Chiliarchs beneath them are all Heaven-rank..."
"Seems they aren't working hard enough."
"Brother Qi, watch your words! If you offend Blood Hand, not even the authorities can save you!" Chi Changle urged anxiously.
"What's there to be afraid of? We're already walking bounties. Why would we care about offending Blood Hand?" Qi Yuan felt Chi Changle lacked self-awareness.
They had already joined Trial to confront the imperial court head-on, so why fret over this?
Chi Changle blinked, realizing Qi Yuan had a point.
Once one joined Trial, discovery by imperial officials meant immediate execution anyway. Why fear offending Blood Hand, mere lackeys of Prince Zhenyuan?
"You have a point," Chi Changle nodded solemnly.
The carriage wove slowly through the streets.
Cries of peddlers rose incessantly.
"Candied haws..."
"Steamed buns, piping hot steamed buns..."
"Golden prunes... fresh golden prunes..."
Qi Yuan's gaze paused, lingering on the excessively vibrant fruit.
"What is that?"
A smile appeared in Chi Changle's eyes. "Those are Ha'er fruits. Since you're from out of town, it must be your first time seeing them!"
"Why are they called Ha'er fruits?"
"Who knows? Either way, that's what they're called."
Qi Yuan's gaze turned profound.
Ha'er fruit—as in fruit only a fool would buy?
Indeed, this world had been deeply shaped by him.
Even Ha'er fruit existed here.
He had once told the story of Ha'er fruit to the Soundless Sound.
...
After settling down at Trial's stronghold, Qi Yuan's life entered a period of tranquility.
Though peaceful, he had plenty to attend to.
On one hand, he needed to raise his implement master cultivation, striving to reach the level of a God-rank implement master as soon as possible.
Yet it was exceedingly difficult; even with the Blind Implement Master's talent, his progress remained slow.
On the other hand, he was preparing to roleplay Divine Descent, steadily seeking out believers.
Lastly, he was awaiting word from Trial to locate guiling and evildoers so he could uphold justice.
"Brother Qi, work has arrived!"
Just then, a booming voice called out from beyond the door.
A flicker of delight passed through Qi Yuan's eyes.
Finally, something to do.
"Wang Kong, come right in. The door isn't locked."
Outside, a short, lean man with dark skin, clad in short rough clothes and drenched in sweat, sniffed himself. Hesitating briefly, he pushed the door open and stepped inside.
"I was just unloading cargo at the docks; I'm covered in foul sweat." Wang Kong scratched his crew cut awkwardly. He stood in the room without sitting, likely afraid of dirtying the chairs.
"You've worked hard all day. Have a seat." Qi Yuan poured him some water.
Seeing this, Wang Kong finally sat down, though only perching on the edge of the seat.
Wang Kong was also a member of Trial.
His background was somewhat unusual.
He came from a family of laborers who specialized in unloading cargo at the docks.
A tiger's cub was a tiger; a dock laborer's son was a dock laborer.
A century ago, his great-grandfather had also been a laborer, but no ordinary one.
During the era of Divine Descent, Rakshasa Country had observed many peculiar, unique regulations.
One among them was that all people were equal, and no occupation was noble or base.
Even a laborer, so long as they performed their duties well, enjoyed political rights and an influential voice, holding a status comparable to dukes and ministers.
It was the same for dock hands, night soil collectors, weavers, and the like.
Wang Kong's great-grandfather had been a laborer whose standing rivaled high ministers.
The sort who actually swung his back into honest toil.
Although such individuals had varied standards of judgment and their frequent proposals might have thrown administration into chaos, the presence of Divine Descent—functioning much like an intelligent artificial intelligence—prevented Rakshasa Country from devolving into disorder. It had even achieved true fairness and justice.
At least wherever the sight of Divine Descent reached, corruption and darkness were swept clean.
Even tales like a brothel maiden slaying the Third Prince with a sword were widely celebrated.
Yet after Divine Descent fell, every regulation of that era was repealed.
According to the royal court's rationale, Wang Kong's great-grandfather had merely been a laborer whose sole contribution was hauling cargo; how could that compare to the grand contributions of the imperial ministers? Thus, such rights were stripped away.
"While unloading cargo at the docks today, I picked up some news. The Blood Cloud Bandits... are planning to hit the Zhao family's caravan!" Wang Kong took a gulp of water and swallowed it down.
Ten years ago, a band of outlaws had suddenly cropped up in Dingbo Province, known as the Blood Cloud Bandits.
They burned, slaughtered, pillaged, and committed every evil imaginable.
The Liu family had dispatched troops to eradicate them once, only for the bandits to swiftly rise from the ashes.
Using the Liu family's failure to quell the outlaws as an excuse, the imperial court dispatched Prince Zhenyuan to oversee Dingbo Province.
Over the past few years, the Blood Cloud Bandits had grown steadily in power, while Prince Zhenyuan had firmly rooted himself in Dingbo Province under the guise of bandit suppression.
"Is this intel reliable?" Qi Yuan asked curiously.
"Completely reliable!" Wang Kong nodded. "Among the Blood Cloud Bandits, there's a brother from Trial! We might doubt others, but our brothers in Trial are always trustworthy!"
"So this time, we're heading over to slaughter the Blood Cloud Bandits?" Qi Yuan asked.
"The Adjudicators will handle the fighting. You and I... are just along to broaden our horizons," Wang Kong said. "Sister Liu said your heart is far too soft—that you wouldn't even dare crush an ant—so you need to see the world a bit."
As Wang Kong spoke, he flashed a mouthful of yellow teeth.
The Sister Liu he referred to was, of course, Liu Chudong.
Sister Liu had remarked that this Qi Yuan was so tenderhearted he wouldn't even kill a fish. Now, he needed to witness some bloodshed and learn about the cruelty of the world.
"By the way, Sister Liu is joining this operation too," Wang Kong added.
"Alright, I'll tag along for the excitement." Qi Yuan stretched his arms.
He wondered whether he might use this opportunity to track down the bandits' lair.
While he couldn't bear to kill a fish, slaughtering brigands came with no psychological burden whatsoever.
If he wiped out the Blood Cloud Bandits and left behind the proclamation, "Holding the light, banishing the night; should injustice arise, call upon my Divine Descent," the name of Divine Descent would surely echo across the world.
Moreover, slaying the bandits would yield considerable experience points.
It was definitely a worthwhile venture.
Half a day later, upon an official mountain road.
Liu Chudong wore tight-fitting attire, looking delightfully adorable as though she were still a minor. Seeing Qi Yuan, a radiant smile bloomed across her face.
"You're finally here, Big Brother Qi!"
Beside Liu Chudong stood two figures in black robes and masks.
Both were Earth-rank weapon wielders who stood in dead silence—the Adjudicators of Trial.
The organization was divided into two branches: formal members like Liu Chudong, and combat operatives known as Adjudicators who handled actual battles.
When undertaking missions, they donned black robes and masks, concealing their features.
The primary combat strength for this operation rested with these two Adjudicators.
Qi Yuan's gaze swept over them, an amused look crossing his face.
Both Adjudicators bore the surname Liu.
One was called Liu Twenty-Two, and the other Liu Twenty-Three.
"Hehe, Big Brother Qi, you just stand to the side this time and watch how this lady upholds justice!" Liu Chudong teased with a grin. "When you see blood, try not to faint!"
"Don't worry. I may be kind, but I don't faint at the sight of blood," Qi Yuan replied nonchalantly.
"Enough idle chatter; we have a mission to execute." Liu Chudong swiftly snapped into focus, her youthful face turning solemn. "The Blood Cloud Bandits have committed endless atrocities, acting worse than beasts. This time, we'll ensure they march in alive and leave in caskets!"
Fury coated her features at the mention of the outlaws.
Corrupt officials in Dingbo Province at least maintained a veneer of propriety on the surface, but bandits did no such thing—they practically carved the word "villain" onto their foreheads.
"According to our intel, the Zhao family should pass by here in a quarter of an hour. How strange... where are the Blood Cloud Bandits?" Liu Chudong grew puzzled as she looked around.
By all logic, the outlaws should have set up an ambush in advance.
Yet there was no sign of them anywhere nearby.
"Could the intelligence be flawed?" Chen Kangbao, acting as Qi Yuan's strategist, hurried to ask.
"Impossible, unless... the plan changed, or some other complication arose," Liu Chudong answered seriously.
"Should we wait a bit longer, or perhaps split up to search?" Chen Kangbao offered another suggestion.
"No," Liu Chudong shook her head. "Apart from the Adjudicators, the rest of us are too weak. Running into the bandits alone would be far too dangerous."
The two Adjudicators nodded in agreement.
Watching this unfold, Qi Yuan felt more and more that Trial was merely a makeshift troupe.
Then again, considering this entire world was essentially one colossal amateur circus, it made perfect sense.
After a moment's thought, he disguised his drones as mosquitoes.
"Ouch, a mosquito is biting me!"
Qi Yuan slapped his cheek, bringing several mosquitoes into his palm.
He opened his hand, letting them flutter away.
Liu Chudong stared in disbelief. "Big Brother Qi, you're far too soft-hearted!
Those mosquitoes suck your blood!"
Nearby, Wang Kong also shot Qi Yuan an astonished glance.
Not even killing mosquitoes—he truly was too kind.
"No, they don't suck blood!"
"They don't?"
"They're male mosquitoes."
The group waited, but even after a quarter of an hour had passed, neither the bandits nor the Zhao family's caravan had appeared.
Everyone present realized that an unforeseen turn of events had likely occurred.
Right then, Qi Yuan's eyes lit up. "Follow me, everyone! I have naturally sharp ears, and I hear sounds of slaughter coming from that direction."
"Huh?" Liu Chudong blinked. "Where?"
The two Adjudicators glanced toward Qi Yuan, doubt showing in their eyes.
"Just follow me."
Qi Yuan mounted his horse.
Without further hesitation, the others mounted up and rode after him.
Meanwhile, along a secluded trail, several dozen bandits had surrounded the Zhao family's caravan.
The caravan numbered only ten people: aside from the elderly man leading them and a young maiden, the rest were burly guards.
"Old Man Zhao, you've got quite the nerve. Young Miss Zhao was personally requested by Director Liu's godson.
What, now that you've latched onto General Li, you no longer acknowledge Director Liu?"
The bandit leader was a one-armed saber wielder wearing a ferocious snarl.
Old Man Zhao's face drained of color.
As a wealthy merchant in Dingbo Province, ever since Prince Zhenyuan had established his seat here, the shrewd old man had known the province's sky was about to change.
His daughter was exquisitely charming, a beauty listed on Dingbo Province's National Beauty List—a rare prize.
After great difficulty, he had secured a chance to offer his daughter to General Li under Prince Zhenyuan's command.
Yet unexpectedly, Director Liu's godson had also taken a liking to her.
Director Liu held monstrous power, being the dreaded Director of Blood Hand.
Still... to Old Man Zhao, spies were ultimately unsavory figures who operated in the shadows, let alone the godson of one.
Offering her to General Li carried a far brighter future.
Thus, he had secretly fled with his daughter toward Nanshan Commandery.
Who could have predicted that the Blood Cloud Bandits would intercept them?
Now, with several dozen ruthless brigands blocking the path, terror overwhelmed Old Man Zhao.
"Great Chief, this old fool merely lost his wits for a moment! I will present my daughter to the Chiliarch right away!" Old Man Zhao reversed his stance in an instant.
Compared to survival, fleeting prospects were trivial.
The one-armed bandit sneered viciously. "Too late. The Chiliarch said he's no longer interested in Young Miss Zhao."
He eyed Miss Zhao with lecherous intent.
"Before you die, being able to share a night of pleasure with me will be your good fortune!"
Miss Zhao's delicate face turned deathly pale, her body going limp like rose petals battered by wind and rain.
Old Man Zhao was gripped by absolute despair.
"It's over... all over!"
How could their modest escort hope to match these Blood Cloud Bandits?
Just then, the thunder of hoofbeats echoed out as several riders dashed toward them.
A spark of hope ignited on Miss Zhao's pale face.
"Help! Save me! They are the Blood Cloud Bandits, men under Director Liu!"
She screamed desperately, bordering on hysteria.
Seeing this, Old Man Zhao gritted his teeth and joined in her cries.
The one-armed bandit leader saw right through her intentions, a murderous glint flashing in his eyes.
"Young Miss Zhao, it seems you find the road to the Yellow Springs too lonely and wish to bring along more company?"
He raised his broad saber with his lone hand, radiating fierce malice.
"This daddy will grant your wish."
"Except for the girl, kill them all!"
Chapter 525