Killing Monks

The officialdom has always been a cesspool.

When Chief Constable Qi looked at his sworn brother Zuo Qiantang's familiar face, his heart felt as if it were being repeatedly cut by a dull knife.

Their first mistake was their unwillingness to go along with the corrupt practices.

The three men couldn't stand their colleagues in the government office using their positions to extort money and accept bribes, and they were determined to eradicate the corrupt gambling dens and brothels in the county.

They were full of enthusiasm, believing they were acting on behalf of Heaven and upholding the law.

Little did they know that behind the most profitable and filthy businesses in the county town often stood the "government office" represented by their official uniforms.

How could the meager salaries of constables, head constables, clerks, county assistants, and even county magistrates be enough to live on?

If you have power in your hands, are you really going to starve if you don't "monetize" it?

The "tribute" offered monthly by those gambling dens and brothels was already an open secret within the government offices—a form of "gray salary."

What the three of them were trying to destroy was not just the business of a few local thugs, but the livelihood of many people in the entire county government!

Naturally, he became an outcast and public enemy in the eyes of others, ostracized everywhere, unable to earn any credit, and forced to take on all the hard work.

Were they wrong?

They firmly believe that they are not wrong, that the law and their conscience are not wrong!

Until that time when they were chasing a notorious bandit who was crossing the border.

This became their opportunity to prove themselves and break the deadlock.

The three bravely took the lead and fought a desperate battle with the bandits in an abandoned temple.

Meanwhile, the other constables, and even a few head constables, merely stood by on the periphery, "keeping watch" and "providing support," watching coldly from the sidelines.

Qi Feng knew perfectly well that this was a case of using someone else to do the dirty work.

If we succeed, we'll share the credit. If we fail, it'll be a good opportunity to get rid of these three troublesome troublemakers.

They did kill people, and they almost got killed themselves.

In the chaos of battle, Zuo Qiantang, the sworn brother with the weakest martial arts skills, had his sternum shattered by a heavy blow from the bandit and died on the spot.

He and his sworn brother Hao Dan fought fiercely, risking injury, and finally captured the murderer.

I thought I could use this blood-stained achievement to comfort my sworn brother's spirit in heaven and to vindicate my brother.

But just a few days later, the notorious bandit, whose crimes were irrefutable and who should have been executed in the autumn, inexplicably disappeared without a trace, and one day, he was no longer in prison.

Someone secretly let the notorious thief go, and they didn't even know it!

He and Hao Dan were shocked and furious. They went to great lengths to inquire, even bowing and scraping before the clerks they used to look down on, before they finally managed to vaguely discover the truth.

The notorious thief had a secret conversation with the county magistrate in prison and offered him a sum of money.

The amount of silver was astonishing, enough for the county magistrate to live a life of leisure and pleasure for many years.

Sometimes, money is more useful than martial arts skills.

He bribed the law, and in doing so, he also bought his sworn brother's life.

Where is justice?

Where is the legal basis?

Their anger almost consumed them.

In my opinion, the county magistrate is corrupt and has violated the law!

Personally, the hatred for killing my brother is irreconcilable!

The two discussed it and decided to go all out and confront the county magistrate face to face, even if it meant losing their official robes.

This was their second mistake: they overestimated their own strength and determination, while greatly underestimating the ruthlessness and shamelessness of those in officialdom.

Before they even met the county magistrate, they were already accused of "yelling in court and having ulterior motives."

The county magistrate immediately ordered the two men to be arrested and interrogated.

Why would they surrender so easily?

A chaotic battle broke out in the county government office.

But two fists can't fight four hands; there are many skilled fighters in the government office, and they gradually became overwhelmed.

At the last moment, his sworn brother Hao Dan held off the pursuers, allowing him to find an opening and escape by climbing over the wall.

His escape became irrefutable evidence of "fleeing to avoid punishment".

Hao Dan was thrown into prison and subjected to all kinds of torture. Not long after, news came that Hao Dan had "died from his injuries".

Even more appalling, his family left in the city was not spared either. His sister-in-law was found hanged, leaving behind a young nephew whose whereabouts were unknown.

He risked his life several times to save people and seek revenge, but failed due to being outnumbered and outmatched, which only confirmed his crime as a "ruthless bandit".

Grief, despair, and hatred gnawed at him.

Just when he was about to fall into complete darkness, he heard that a governor known for his integrity and uprightness was going to pass through Tanhua County.

As if grasping at the last straw, he risked his life to stop the sedan chair and plead his case, revealing his blood-and-tears injustice.

Upon hearing this, the governor was indeed furious. He immediately took him back to the Tanhua County government office, held court, and demanded that the corrupt official be severely punished and justice be served for his brother.

In the courtroom, facing the governor's stern questioning and overwhelming evidence, the county magistrate turned ashen-faced and was drenched in sweat.

Seeing the critical situation, the governor even drew his sword in anger, intending to arrest this corrupt official on the spot.

Just when all the bystanders thought that the injustice was about to be redressed and justice would finally prevail!

A flash of cold light!

The sword that was meant to strike the corrupt official instead pierced through Qi Feng's heart with lightning speed!

Qi Feng looked down in astonishment at the sword blade embedded in his chest. When he looked up again, he met the governor's face, which had instantly turned cold and indifferent, and the county magistrate's eyes, which were filled with a mixture of relief, smugness, and mockery.

This was their third and most fatal mistake.

He actually believed that there were truly upright officials in the bureaucracy!

They actually naively believed that there was a place in this world where reason could be reasoned!

It turns out that the so-called "honest governor" was nothing more than a more cunning and greedy superior.

He and the county magistrate were essentially the same kind of people; it's just that he was good at cultivating a reputation for integrity.

Before he arrived, the county magistrate had already presented him with a generous gift.

In officialdom, what can't be resolved with money?

If he had offered the same amount of money, the governor might have stood up for him.

But he came to plead his case empty-handed, which is really too improper!

It wasn't until the sword pierced his heart that he understood.

It turns out, there is no righteousness in officialdom.

It turns out that there is no place to reason in this world.

It turns out they were completely wrong from beginning to end.

However, there is one thing about him: his heart is on the right side, not on the left.

This is his only chance of survival!

That sword strike, which should have been fatal, only severely damaged his lungs and missed his heart.

The excruciating pain and the shadow of death ignited the most primal will to survive and the fury of revenge.

A metallic taste rose in his throat, but a terrifying glint flashed in his eyes.

Just as the "honest" governor thought he had succeeded and relaxed his guard slightly, Qi Feng unleashed his full power, ignoring the sword piercing his chest, and gathered all the remaining strength in his body to slam a palm into the governor's head!

"puff--!"

The governor's smug sneer froze instantly; there wasn't even a look of surprise on his face.

Because his head is gone!

His head was smashed open, and he died on the spot!

Chaos erupted in the courtroom! Shouts of alarm, roars of anger, and the sound of swords being drawn filled the air.

Taking advantage of the chaos, Qi Feng drew the sword from his chest, like a wounded, mad tiger.

Surrounded by the horrified officials of the county government, he fought his way out, relying on his familiarity with the terrain and a fearless spirit, and finally escaped from Tanhua County, his clothes stained with blood.

A year later, when he returned to Tanhua County, his identity was completely different.

He was no longer the fugitive Qi Feng, but the newly appointed Chief Constable Qi.