The Fortunate Sword God of the Zhuge Clan - Chapter 69

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 69.
The next morning, chaos erupted at the Government Office.
Mu Heun had arrived with Bu Chaejoo forced to kneel, then demanded the magistrate be summoned.
Not before severing one of his legs, of course.
Magistrate Bang Chung found his stomach churning from the moment dawn broke.
He’d been in the midst of preparing a renowned Beijing duck for an honored guest—the timing could hardly have been worse.
‘Any ordinary ruffian, I’d simply throw out and be done with it.’
But the Jegal Clan, of all people?
And this young lord no less—a direct descendant, and the New Dragon of this Dragon Phoenix Gathering?
What in heaven’s name was such a man doing in this backwater county?
For all his questions, Bang Chung could not afford to keep his heavy frame planted in his seat—not against a name of such standing in Hubei’s first family.
A name of that caliber made it difficult to hide behind the Official Immunity Doctrine, however much one invoked it.
Especially when the matter involved capturing bandits who preyed upon common folk—an act of genuine chivalry.
What made it worse was that he’d brought in only Bu Chaejoo, not the leader himself—the very man with whom Bang Chung had maintained his quiet understanding.
‘Surely that fool didn’t spill everything?’
Such a disturbance while an honored guest was present?
It was something that should never have occurred.
Though worry had rooted him in place, Bang Chung soon lifted his head and strode forward with feigned confidence.
‘He’s just a bandit when all is said and done. I deny it, insist it’s a fabrication, and the matter ends.’
Besides, this was supposedly a boy from the Jegal Clan—barely past twenty years old, if the rumors were true.
‘A modest compensation ought to be enough. Will he really push back against that?’
He could enjoy the Beijing duck another time.
With that thought to ease his regret, Bang Chung greeted Mu Heun with a businesslike smile and fawning gestures.
Mu Heun, for his part, made no effort to hide his pleasure at the magistrate’s obsequious bow.
Or so it seemed.
Until Mu Heun stated his true purpose.
“…I beg your pardon? What did you mean by that, sir…?”
Mu Heun offered a bright smile at the magistrate’s dumbfounded expression.
“Exactly as I said. This man, Bu Chaejoo, has confessed that you knowingly allowed their plunder and even aided them—I’ve come to ask you directly about this.”
Bang Chung bent so low his waist nearly folded as he rushed to deflect.
“Good heavens! What manner of accusation is this! I am innocent! This bandit is attempting to frame me! I have never committed such acts, nor have I ever entertained such thoughts!”
As he spoke, Bang Chung kept his head lowered but rolled his eyes to regard Bu Chaejoo.
The man glared back at him with an aggrieved expression, eyes sharp as blades, but his vitality had been suppressed—he could not muster a word in response.
And Bang Chung was far too seasoned a man to be intimidated by such a thing.
‘Foolish creature. Getting me tangled up in this mess over some novice.’
Swallowing his frustration, Bang Chung unleashed a torrent of smooth excuses.
“Surely you know, Great Hero, that you yourself have earned the rank of New Dragon among the wandering knights—men of banditry are creatures of deception by nature. How could they speak truthfully in the presence of one such as you, whose very standing terrifies them?”
Bang Chung’s tongue moved as though oiled, gliding without friction.
“They believed death was certain, you see. This wretch merely grasped at one final straw—attempting to create some thread of hope before the end. Great Hero, do not be swayed by such drivel. Look to the truth itself.”
“The truth, you say.”
“Yes, precisely! The truth! I swear by Heaven itself that I have spoken only truth!”
Mu Heun tilted his head slowly at the magistrate’s words.
“Is that what you’re saying?”
“Yes, yes. Without question!”
“Then what is this?”
“I—?”
Thump.
A thick stack of papers landed before Bang Chung’s eyes.
“These are…”
“Ledger Records written by this man Bu Chaejoo, who is currently restrained.”
“…!”
Bang Chung’s eyes began to twitch violently.
“Within them are detailed accounts of countless valuables plundered under your blind eye—all of which, naturally, were taken from the people.”
Mu Heun gazed down at the magistrate and continued in a cold voice.
“If you truly possess such integrity, then you’ll have no objection to my searching the Government Office’s storerooms to recover these goods, will you?”
Bang Chung’s voice, until now flowing with eloquence, began to quaver.
“Th-th-that is…”
He’d never imagined this wretch Bu Chaejoo would prepare something of this magnitude.
‘What—what am I to do with this?’
Mu Heun, observing all this, exhaled a faint sigh.
“In the six years since you took office, County Magistrate, there have been 1,826 recorded robberies. That is to say, plundering occurs more than once every two days.”
Bang Chung alone was not the sole victim.
At this rate, every merchant in the village must have suffered at least once.
The ledger noted that Guo Taigang’s wife had resisted fiercely, and they’d had no choice but to proceed with the confiscation.
‘Does that even qualify as an explanation?’
Mu Heun clicked his tongue, his heart heavy.
“You’ve done quite a lot, then.”
Bang Chung could offer no response.
Mu Heun continued undeterred.
“Having done so much, you ought to accept the consequences with grace.”
“That… what do you mean by—”
Bang Chung barely managed to stammer out a question at the word “consequences.”
“I shall report this matter to the Provincial Governor of Hubei.”
“!!”
There was no need to spell out what would come next.
Had it been merely the exploitation of common folk, he might have bought his way out of the magistracy with enough silver, but Bang Chung’s offenses were far too numerous.
‘I’m dead. Absolutely dead.’
Bang Chung threw himself forward and wrapped his arms around Mu Heun’s legs.
“I beg you! Master! Whatever you want—money, goods, anything—I’ll give it all! Please! Please, not that!”
Yet Mu Heun’s expression remained unyielding.
“I have no desire to accept anything.”
His voice was cold as ice.
“Your crimes are far too grave to overlook in exchange for payment.”
In that moment, Bang Chung understood that hope had abandoned him entirely.
“You… you… you corrupt bastard!!”
All that remained for him was to hurl curses at Mu Heun.
“How long do you think you can stay clean?! Living comfortably without lifting a finger? Watching money flow in while you sit idle? Do you truly believe you’ll keep your hands spotless forever?!”
Mu Heun merely listened to the torrent of curses in silence.
One could hardly call it listening when he felt nothing at all.
“In the end, the world feeds on plunder! Your Jegal Clan is no different!”
But the moment Bang Chung spoke the name of the Jegal Clan, Mu Heun’s brow furrowed.
“You’re all the same! Your precious Jegal Clan tacitly consents to this corruption, whether large or small—you’re simply too blind to see it! You’re just like—”
Mu Heun wanted to respond, but he could not.
Whip.
“?!”
A sharp whistle cut through the air, and Bang Chung’s body went limp and collapsed.
Then, slowly, his head rolled away from his body.
Remarkably, not a single drop of blood fell from the wound.
“My, my. I wondered what was taking so long, so I thought I’d peek in and see what trouble had sprung up.”
Mu Heun snapped his attention to the side at the sound of that piercing, high-pitched voice, every nerve drawn taut.
“And here I find such a handsome young man conducting business in a government office.”
A voice difficult to place as belonging to a man at all.
Skin pale and delicate, unmarred by even a trace of stubble.
Eyes sharp enough to pierce through anything, paired with a nose equally severe and prominent.
Upon that head rested a pointed Treading Wind Hat, and the fine Dark Blue Silk Robe was expensive enough to purchase a house.
Mu Heun recognized the figure immediately.
‘Why is the Eastern Depot here?’
The Eastern Depot—a cabal of eunuchs wielding extraordinary power in the Ming Dynasty.
It was not uncommon for eunuchs to hold considerable authority, but the Eastern Depot was a singular force throughout the long history of the Central Plains.
Their true mandate, hidden from public view, was intelligence gathering and assassination.
In other words, they were an armed force—functionally similar to the Black Guard in their assigned duties.
The difference lay in this: the Black Guard, being more numerous, handled tasks requiring greater numbers, while the Eastern Depot specialized in assassinating formidable masters.
‘Even their foot soldiers surpassed the Super-Expert realm.’
Recalling how, in his previous life, they had assassinated the leaders of two of the Nine Schools and Eight Factions, Mu Heun felt his own vigilance sharpen without his knowing.
The figure before him was moreover one of the Eastern Depot’s most renowned operatives.
‘Wei Jinming, commander of the Eastern Depot’s strike unit.’
One of the captains among the strike commanders, and the strongest—the most dangerous of them all.
‘He once exchanged moves with Do Un, who became the First Sword of Huashan, and withdrew in a draw.’
The current Mu Heun could not even graze a single finger of his.
Wei Jinming, sensing Mu Heun’s tension, let out a hollow, mirthless chuckle.
“There’s no need to be so anxious. I’ve heard the whole story. This fool brought it on himself—why would I harm Master Jegal?”
Wei Jinming continued with a gentle smile playing at his lips.
“Truth be told, even if the master were in the wrong, I’d have executed this wretch anyway. I have a weakness for handsome people, you see. Ah, forgive my late introduction—I’m Wei Jinming.”
Mu Heun first composed himself and bowed respectfully.
“I am Mu Heun of the Jegal Clan.”
“Oh, I know, I know. Hehe. Is there anyone under heaven who hasn’t heard of your name? You’re the New Dragon of this Dragon Phoenix Gathering. I’ve only heard rumors, but I thought it was impressive. Seeing you in person is even more remarkable.”
“…Thank you.”
“Right, right. Don’t be so nervous. Hmm….”
Wei Jinming’s sticky gaze swept over Mu Heun from head to toe, and he smiled again.
“Wow… your physique is quite splendid too. Young master, have you ever considered becoming a eunuch?”
“Pardon?”
“No, no—if the young master became a eunuch, he could boast the finest appearance in all of history. What do you say?”
Mu Heun forced a smile at the unexpected proposal.
“I’m afraid that would be difficult, sir. As a member of the Jegal Clan, I….”
“Ah, yes, continuing the lineage and all that. Well, then there’s nothing to be done. What a shame.”
Wei Jinming sighed as though genuinely disappointed, then looked down at Bang Chung’s corpse.
“You’ve endured listening to this garbage’s nonsense. You may leave now, young master. I’ll take care of the rest.”
“…As for the new magistrate…”
“Don’t worry! None of the people I have in mind could possibly compare to this scum.”
It was clear he intended to install one of his own connections, but Mu Heun had no grounds to object.
The man possessed both the authority and the martial prowess to back up his words, and in this moment, falling out of favor could lead to anything.
Still, there was business that had to be done.
“…Would it be permissible for me to look through the government storehouse?”
“Eh? Ah, the confiscated goods? Well, they were plundered from the people anyway. Take a look around and take whatever you like!”
Mu Heun shook his head at Wei Jinming’s words.
“The people’s property should be returned to them as much as possible. However, there is a particular item I was asked to retrieve personally, and I would like to search for it.”
“Hmm? Ah… oh.”
Wei Jinming regarded Mu Heun with curiosity.
“That would suffice? And you accomplished all this?”
“Yes. That would be enough. May I so presume to ask?”
Wei Jinming studied him for a moment, then his mouth curled upward so far it nearly reached his ears.
“Remarkable. Young master—you could be greedy, yet you only fulfill your duty and return. A wandering knight! A true knight! If only you weren’t of the Jegal Clan, I might… yes. Go ahead and do that. I’ll have the rest of the confiscated goods returned to the people as you suggest!”
Ignoring the strange remark he caught midway through, Mu Heun bowed again respectfully.
“I am deeply grateful for your consideration.”
“Ah, it’s nothing! Not quite a favor, but next time we meet, acknowledge me, won’t you? Making friends with handsome people is one of my few hobbies.”
“…Yes. I shall.”
“Good, good!”
Mu Heun turned and headed toward the government storehouse.
He believed nothing untoward would happen, but he maintained vigilance nonetheless, prepared for any possibility.
Wei Jinming stood gazing at Mu Heun’s retreating figure until he vanished from sight.
“A body close to the Celestial Martial Physique, and they say he’s mastered Nine Manifestations too? He’ll reach Ultimate Peak before his twenties are done. Such restraint, such lack of greed….”
Wei Jinming continued his murmur without suppressing his rising smile.
“I was thinking of pretending to give him guidance and opening a small wound at his throat if he let his guard slip. But he never lets it slip.”
Wei Jinming smacked his lips regretfully, scratched his head, then muttered as though something had just occurred to him.
“But wait—it’s not that boy but someone else who’s been obstructing the serpent? Hmm. The Martial World truly is vast, isn’t it?”
Wei Jinming spun around and ordered Bang Chung’s corpse removed.
Between the folds of his dark blue silk robe, a very small but unmistakable black serpent insignia flickered into view.
***
“…Young master, this….”
Guo Taigang received the Silver Bracelet from Mu Heun and dropped to his knees.
“My… my wife’s bracelet… however did you…?”
Mu Heun smiled as though it were nothing.
“I promised to fulfill your wish, did I not? This is proof that I’ve kept my word.”
Mu Heun turned to look at Guo Xuanyong, whose eyes trembled as he gazed at him.
“Within the day, word will spread through the village that a new magistrate has arrived. I’ve dealt with the bandits, but it seemed unwise to return carrying their heads, so I came back with only the bracelet for now.”
Guo Xuanyong dropped the Eternal Cold Iron he’d been clutching and asked, “Is it… truly, truly possible that all of them are dead?”
“Of course. I can arrange for you to verify it, if you wish.”
At this, tears welled in Guo Xuanyong’s eyes.
In truth, no further proof was needed.

The bracelet that Guo Taigang touched with tears streaming down his face was the very one his mother had always worn.
“I… truly… truly….”
Guo Xuanyong knelt and prostrated himself before Mu Heun.
“I… thank you deeply. Chivalrous Hero.”
Guo Taigang likewise bowed.
“Following the Family Head, we have received a debt of gratitude to your young master that we can never repay—not just I and Xuanyong, but our entire family. We are truly grateful.”
Mu Heun smiled warmly and raised both men to their feet.
“This was merely what should have come to pass, only now finally realized. There is no debt of gratitude for me to accept. Moreover….”
Mu Heun added playfully.
“Surely the Family Head now has something he must do for me, does he not?”
Guo Taigang’s tear-streaked face hardened with resolve.
It was the face of the Iron Heart Ghost Craftsman that Mu Heun knew.
“Of course.”
Guo Taigang turned to Guo Xuanyong and nodded.
At this, Guo Xuanyong swiftly handed the Eternal Cold Iron to Guo Taigang.
Guo Taigang spoke with unwavering conviction.
“I swear, wagering all that I am, to forge for your young master a sword unmatched since ancient times.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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