Chapter 223: Splendid Times

Chapter 223: A Fine World

He Zangjia, Zou Sijiu, Master Ma, Zhou You.

Regardless of whence sprang the initial intentions when they first made contact, be it profit or principle, at this moment they were all grasshoppers on the same rope.

Li Jun could not bring himself to remain untainted alone, watching helplessly as they were swallowed by this muddy tide.

Yan Bahuang pondered a moment, then spoke slowly: "With the strength of the Chongqing Prefecture Embroidered Uniform Guard, shielding these people poses no difficulty."

No difficulty, but trouble would follow.

Li Jun shook his head, his expression resolute: "Only when corpses sink into the river can the storm be stilled!"

"Well said!"

Hearing this, Yan Bahuang laughed aloud, "You resemble the imperial martial officers of old far more than those sect disciples."

He removed the Wuchang Register ring from his finger and tossed it casually to Li Jun.

"This trinket holds a portion of this old man's statutory authority, enough to help you pierce falsehood. Wear it, and common Buddhist chants and sutras will sound no different than dogs barking—grating on the ears, but harmless otherwise."

Li Jun caught the ring, yet did not don it.

"No merit, no reward; I feel ill at ease holding this of yours."

"You brat are truly stubborn."

Yan Bahuang laughed in exasperation, "Yet what this old man gives out, he never takes back. If you feel awkward, why not do this old man a favor?"

Li Jun's face grew solemn, his voice grave: "What favor?"

"Someone has strayed onto a crooked path; if left unchecked, it may stir up no small trouble. So someone is needed to set him right."

"Who?"

"The Tuo General, Zhao Tong. His hiding place is within the ring."

Li Jun's brows twitched, "Dead or alive?"

"Nonsense, what use is a live one? Bring him back so I can wine and dine him?"

Yan Bahuang waved a hand impatiently, "Go on, quickly, or he'll vanish to who knows where again."

Li Jun cupped his fists in salute, turned, and strode toward the door.

Perhaps because autumn rain had begun to fall outside, just as he was about to leave, Li Jun suddenly reached out and snatched an umbrella from the rack by the door.

Seeing this, Yan Bahuang couldn't help but laugh and curse: "Stinking brat, truly the character of a rogue, daring to swipe even this old man's saber!"

The moon was vast as a plate, illuminating the rain threads so each stood distinct.

The myriad deities who usually danced above Nanyu District today all found leisure, and were not projected out to solicit business.

This was not because the merchants needed not open to earn coin, but because they had a more fitting choice for the season.

The courtly fairy and the burly lumberjack raised cups to each other, while a tempting jade rabbit roasted on the bonfire beside them.

Nestled beneath this bizarre scene was a restaurant whose fragrance drifted ten miles.

Short-skirted Chang'e, holding gauze, danced fervently in the moonlight. Unsurprisingly, this was the night market's handiwork.

And above certain mechanical limb shops, the holy-visaged Moon Goddess used a pair of dexterous mechanical arms to weave laurel branches into a crown, gently placing it upon the head of a jade rabbit whose eyes flashed red.

A fairy bearing the latest 'Yulin' series firearm leveled the muzzle at the great moon overhead.

A light squeeze of the trigger, and a cluster of splendid fireworks burst from the muzzle.

Each time, cheers of children would rise from streets and alleys.

"Mid-Autumn arrives, Chang'e smiles. The company's good, temps leave early, no need to clock in tomorrow."

The ballad slipped through the rain, drifting everywhere under the night, spreading further south of Nanyu District.

The city's edge was desolate and uninhabited, yet the rain grew even more savage here, near pouring in sheets.

On a low hill, Zhao Tong stood beneath a tree, gazing at distant lights, humming softly.

"Company's good, temps leave early, no need to clock in tomorrow. Draw salary, get bonuses, even mooncakes sent so the whole family eats full. Work more, work well, when I die my son will see me off."

The song broke off sharply, turning suddenly into a sneering cold laugh.

"Master, did you hear? This is the Great Ming Empire of today, a fine world you once desperately fought to uphold!"

Beneath the tree shade, a solitary nameless grave mound stood.

Such a relic of the old era, only in such wilderness could its traces still be found.

Zhao Tong, soaked through, slowly crouched, gently uprooting weeds before the grave, murmuring: "Master, I didn't die, I'm still alive."

"These years I joined the Sichuan-Chongqing Gambling Assembly, killed for that eunuch Zhang Ruzhen, who granted me the post of 'Tuo General', sparing me from the hunt of both Buddhist and Daoist factions."

"Though I can no longer advance in Sequence, living peacefully is enough for me."

The weeds were torn up by the roots, the pits left behind gently smoothed by Zhao Tong's hand.

He lifted a jar of Jiannan Shaochun from his feet, poured the wine onto the ground behind his back. Quietly watching the fine wine driven by rain, together seeping into the mud before the grave.

"Truth is, when occasionally fed and drunk, I've wondered if I should contribute to the Martial Dao Sequence, but after thought, I gave up. This disciple simply cannot bear to part with this wealth and glory, fine clothes and jade food."

"Besides, the Buddhist and Daoist powers are so vast, why should we seek revenge on them?"

Zhao Tong paused, as if recalling something, tilted his head, patted the back of his neck, and laughed:

"Right, let me tell you good news: your disciple has decided to abandon the Martial Dao Sequence and switch to the Weapon Dao. What a pity you never installed a brain-machine in this life; the taste of that Huangliang Dream is truly wondrous, making one forget to return."

"Though the Sequence jump is unpleasant, the rotting of native flesh is hard to bear, but didn't you always say: bitter first, sweet later? Once the conversion is done, I'll never fear liquidation again."

Zhao Tong's eyes brimmed with joy and hope; he lifted another jar of Jiannan Shaochun and set it by the grave.

This time, however, he did not pour it out, but placed it gently beside the tombstone.

"I recall you said before becoming a Sequencer your tolerance was poor, drinking fast made you dizzy. So this jar I leave for you; drink slowly when you have the time."

Zhao Tong laughed: "After all, your disciple may never come again, and you surely wouldn't want to see me again either."

Just then, someone approached from behind, voice low: "Sir, someone's come."

Zhao Tong barked coldly: "Can't you see I'm bidding my Master farewell? You go entertain them first."

The figure behind fell silent and withdrew.

Unminding the mud, Zhao Tong flipped over and sat down beside the grave.

"Master, look—in the time I came out to pay respects, someone comes to kill me. But that works too; today happens to be Mid-Autumn, perfect to send a young Martial Dao Sequencer down to keep you company."

"Sigh, such a short time, and I've nearly forgotten your face. Had I known, I should have found a way to upload you to the Huangliang Mainframe, not burn you to ash in a single fire."

Zhao Tong reached out and patted the low grave mound beside him, his face awash with emotion.

And at this moment, at the foot of the hill, Li Jun held a black umbrella, cleaving through the rain to arrive.