Chapter 312

The crowd in Jang An swallowed hard.

They say that putting something like this in your mouth is a dirty, shameful sin.

Who in the world committed such a heinous crime that it warrants this long, drawn-out introduction?

“Have you heard the news about the catastrophic flooding in Naknyeong? Last night, a massive deluge struck, to the extent that it shattered the city gates. In Naknyeong alone, two thousand lives were lost, and over a thousand corpses have gone missing, totaling over three thousand lives extinguished in one night.”

Since it wasn’t our territory, it felt like someone else’s problem; the folks in Henan simply shook their heads, expressing sympathy while checking on our levees once more.

But three thousand people dying is a chilling thought. When there’s talk of a flood in the Central Plain, it doesn’t sound like someone else’s disaster.

“The reason for such a huge disaster was that the recently completed Gang Eon burst in that very winter. Had it just flowed naturally, only a little flooding would have occurred, but instead, they blocked the waterway, causing it to overflow all at once. Originally, this Gang Eon was a blessing from the Emperor, but because it burst, three thousand lives were lost.”

A sudden silence fell over the crowd due to Qing’s last comment, so intense that you could hear the blood drain from everyone’s faces.

It was said that the emperor made a mistake with the construction, leading to this disaster because they unnecessarily built the dam.

Truly, that sounds like treason.

We can’t let this go on any longer.

As the crowd hurriedly glanced around for an exit, Qing deftly shifted the blame.

“Of course, our benevolent Emperor ordered the construction out of care for the people, and we can never forget that grace—may we always shout our gratitude in unison!”

Phew. So it’s not about committing treason then.

A sigh of relief swept through the crowd, so loud it could stir a storm.

“However, the dam has burst. Over three thousand people lost their lives, many more lost their families, and even more lost their homes. But there’s another reason behind the Emperor’s dam bursting, and that is—”

Qing paused, casually scanning the crowd before locking eyes with the onlookers.

They swallowed hard, clearly listening intently.

Taking a moment to build suspense, Qing finally let it slip.

“It was designed to fail from the start! They didn’t use even half of the materials that should have been included! Yes! Not even half! Because of this, it couldn’t withstand the heavy rain! The sacrificial three thousand lives were lost because someone decided to pocket the gold and silver for themselves! They built it to break on purpose!”

“Ridiculous.”

“Who says someone deliberately broke the dam!?”

“Who would dare commit such an unforgivable act?”

“Claiming it was for a profit!”

Voices of outrage rose from all around.

Unbeknownst to Qing, these people were spontaneous cheerleaders for our esteemed Supreme Heavenly Demon, stepping up even without being told.

“So, who is it?!”

“The reckless construction project was handled by none other than Zhangxing Company!”

Another wave of shock washed over the crowd.

Zhangxing Company is the leading merchant group in the Shaanxi region, literally the best business in Shaanxi, and it symbolizes the pride of Jang An’s citizens.

“Impossible!”

“There must be proof, right!?”

The voices of the crowd rose in volume.

After letting them speak their piece, Qing waited patiently for attention to refocus before speaking again.

“Those gathered here are the very witnesses. Are there any people from the Sub-Construction Company? Here stands Yeom Hansoo, the carpenter from that company.”

One of the speakers climbed up to Qing’s side.

But he was in such a state from getting beaten that his face had swollen up so much he was unrecognizable.

Of course, the real Yeom Hansoo had died from the assassin’s blade. Tragically, his family perished alongside him, but given the differences in their sins, it’s unclear if they could reunite in the afterlife.

In any case, it was quite convenient for frauds to masquerade as assassins, as no one was sensitive enough to spot the real one.

“I am Yeom Hansoo, the carpenter from the Sub-Construction Company! I received orders from Zhangxing Company to reduce the construction materials to half! I replaced earth with sand and stones with gravel! All to substitute the proper materials with much cheaper ones!”

A great stir erupted among the crowd.

The Sub-Construction Company was well known even in Xian, and when it comes to head carpenters, there are only a handful. So many had definitely heard of the name Yeom Hansoo.

This was an audacious accusation in broad daylight.

No one would think they would bring a double to pull off the scam.

Though the man’s face was so swollen that he was almost unrecognizable, people simply thought, “Ah, he got what he deserved. What a filthy dog.”

At that moment, a sharp shout sliced through the crowd.

“That can’t be true! He’s not Yeom Hansoo! He’s a fake!”

Murmurs spread again.

Hmm. So someone recognized him after all.

Qing inhaled deeply.

“Who just said that? Who here accuses carpenter Yeom of being a fake? Come out and say it boldly!”

“It’s this guy!”

“It’s him!”

The culture of primitive games in the Central Plain demanded they wouldn’t miss a thrilling clash like this.

The man who shouted was shoved forward, looking flustered, taking a deep breath to regain his composure.

Just as he was about to say something—

*Whack!*

Qing’s foot landed precisely on the man’s calf, sending shockwaves up his leg.

The crisp sound accompanied by the sensation of a bone snapping forced Qing to suppress a laugh.

It wouldn’t do to laugh at a time when the accuser was flailing about on the ground.

Qing grabbed the collapsing man by the collar, raised his arms wide, ensuring that his tattered clothing couldn’t hide anything.

In an instant, Qing had turned the man into a shirtless wonder.

“Everyone! Do you see this tattoo? The two characters here, ‘Ishim,’ are marks tattooed on the bodies of the hired assassins, cannibals who kill and eat people!”

With a face swollen beyond recognition, there was no way anyone could tell if this was the real Yeom Hansoo.

But someone says he’s a fake?

If a family that had gotten a bad deal weren’t here, they’d be in a state that even they wouldn’t recognize each other.

Unless the true murderer or an associate were present, how could anyone know if the supposedly dead Yeom Hansoo was real or fake?

It seemed too foolish and naive for this to happen here.

“Everyone! Did you know that recently there was a funeral at Yeom Hansoo’s home? It’s because Zhangxing Company sent assassins to silence the carpenters involved in the construction! If there are any carpenters among you, you know that all the popular carpenters have vanished or died recently!”

Another wave of murmurs.

Indeed, some in the audience were carpenters, and hearing such news made them voice their agreement loudly.

That’s right! That’s true! Not only the master carpenter but also the rest were caught up in troubles! It was said in the Zhang Wang Carpentry House that both master carpenters have gone missing, forcing them to close down!

However, given the carpenters’ importance, many were fervently proclaiming their devotion as they rallied around the situation.

“Everyone standing here with no shirts on are hired cannibals! They all have the Ishim tattoo below their left breast, and this is the evidence!”

You might think, who would tattoo themselves as an assassin? But in reality, criminal organizations often tattoo their members to mark their ownership.

In the primitive ancient Central Plain, there’s only one type of person who gets tattoos.

Criminals.

Once a criminal is exposed, they brand themselves in visible places for the world to see—a recognized mark of shame.

Yet the unrevealed ones tattoo to prevent betrayal and reinforce their belonging.

If someone betrays and leaves, all they have to do is spread the word in the town.

“Did you hear? That so-and-so is from a criminal background! Here’s where the tattoo is, take a look!”

So once tattooed, they fundamentally cannot escape the grasp of the organization.

That is why in any criminal gang, the first order of business is to choose a name and follow it up by establishing their tattoos.

This is also why tattoos are looked upon with disdain across cultures.

Tattoos are remnants of ancient superstitions, left behind since the time humans first settled into societies—just a mark of shame.

“I am Cho Junam, an assassin from the Cannibal Circle. I’ve been living undercover since I pose as a rice vendor in Ogamigok, but I’m actually an assassin working for that circle. Until now, I’ve completed over fifty contracts.”

Qing hit Cho Junam on the back of the head, chaining him to a wall of intimidation.

“Contracts? Why don’t you talk properly?”

“I’ve killed over fifty people for money! This time, I murdered Wang Jungsam, a carpenter who was mobilized for construction work under Zhangxing Company!”

Then one by one, the assassins with missing fingers or even hands introduced themselves, naming their disguises, and revealing the deceased carpenters’ names.

Qing kept his promise.

They were to live for the price of false testimony.

Though he’d ruined their right hands first, he had no idea how many of the traitors would survive.

But did he really have to take responsibility for that?

If they want to survive, they will; if they’re unlucky, well, that’s their problem.

By now, it was painfully clear what was going on.

Zhangxing Company had skimmed half the materials during a construction project, resulting in this enormous death toll.

Worried that the sins would be uncovered, Zhangxing Company sent assassins after the carpenters.

Even though those carpenters had long worked alongside Zhangxing Company.

This was a crime beyond human comprehension!

“Everyone, I will now head to Zhangxing Company to confront them about whose plan this ugliness is, and how they will atone for their sins! I hope you will witness the consequences of this repugnant crime with me!”

With that, Qing gracefully stepped down from the platform.

As he walked off, the crowd parted to make way for him, taking cautious steps back.

Employees of the Seolga Merchant Association each got their hands on one of the cannibal traitors, marching behind Qing with the pride of the most satisfied people.

Those too afraid to confront Qing looked at him as if he were the most enviable person in the world.

So, behind Qing, the secret agents of the Heavenly Demon Sect followed him, and behind them, the entire crowd in Jang An poured into the wide thoroughfare to march together.

Qing took the lead, cast a glance at Seoliri beside him, and sighed deeply.

Then, turning slightly to see Grandpa on the other side, he quietly asked.

“Grandpa, is this the way to Zhangxing Company? Now that I think about it, I’m not sure of the path.”