"To move is to die; to shout is to die."

A cold, deep voice echoed in the office. The man was masked, and neither of them noticed how he had appeared.

Qian Cheng felt the cold touch on the side of his neck and dared not move.

The clerk's chest heaved, but he remained generally calm, squinting as he looked across at the other side.

"Trespassing on the mint is a serious crime. If you have any difficulties, brave man, you might as well talk to us. Perhaps we can help you?"

The masked man reached into his robes and took out a token. "Xuanji Guard, investigate the case."

The clerk gasped, his eyes widening in shock. Had he really been exposed after all?

Minting inferior currency is a job that puts your life on the line.

However, after living in peace for too long, many people have lost their sense of awe and are deceiving themselves into believing that they can keep the truth hidden forever.

Without getting up, he drank the plum juice in front of him in one gulp.

They don't have the facilities to store ice here, but this water has been heated by Gejing Water Town, making it perfect for a refreshing afternoon drink.

"My lord, there's no need for that. Whatever you've come to investigate, I will cooperate without hesitation."

The scenario he feared eventually came to pass, but he found himself calmer than he had imagined.

"Hand over the ledgers for minting inferior currency."

The clerk gave a bitter smile, all the last shred of hope in his heart vanishing.

He slowly stood up and bowed.

Four years ago, Qingyao Prefecture was plagued by locusts. After working hard for more than half a year, the fields yielded no harvest.

The tax burden has been reduced by 50%, which is already a great act of imperial grace.

Unfortunately, I was a disappointment and failed the imperial examinations time and time again. I was over twenty years old and still a novice scholar.

My widowed mother couldn't afford to send me to school, so she had to sell our land.

I didn't want my mother to become a tenant farmer, so the whole family moved to Bailu County to seek refuge with her.

In three days, the magistrate guaranteed me a house that I had rented, and also introduced me to a job copying books.

I realized I wasn't cut out for the imperial examinations, so people pooled their money to help me pass the exams and earn a doctorate in mathematics.

Two years ago, I was recruited as a low-ranking clerk in the Quality Inspection Department of the Coinage Bureau.

He straightened his back, straightened his clothes, and looked straight at the Xuanji Guard holding a sword opposite him.

"My name is Zhao Wensu. I am good at shorthand and am known as Zhao the Quick-Hand."

"My lord, the Bailu County Mint did not mint any inferior coins as you claim, and therefore has no ledgers."

The next moment, a thin line of blood appeared on Zhao Wensu's neck.

With a calm smile still on his lips, the body crashed to the ground.

Qian Cheng's pupils suddenly shrank to two pinpoints, like ink dots pierced by a sharp blade, trembling and dissipating in his eye sockets.

The color drained rapidly from her cheeks, leaving a pale, ashen bluish-gray hue.

His Adam's apple bobbed up and down spasmodically, and the veins in his neck bulged, but he couldn't utter a single word, only broken hissing sounds.

The cold voice rang out again, "Xuanji investigates cases without any taboos."

Zhao Wensu has a widowed mother at home. What about you? Who is in your family?

"What do you mean!"

The man's eyes remained expressionless. "It means that the crime will extend to the family; those who refuse to confess will have their relatives slaughtered."

Inspector Qian Cheng clenched his fists tightly. "You are a palace guard; you must act in accordance with the law!"

"Ha..." A sneer rang out, "Do you know what a crime it is to mint inferior currency? You're talking to me about laws and regulations."

This is the last time! Where's the ledger?! If you don't tell me, I guarantee I'll send your whole family to hell within a day.

His lips moved involuntarily, cold sweat trickled down his stiff lips and condensed into murky streaks on his chin.

His five fingers dug into his palms, his whole body like a puppet whose tendons had been pulled out, his gaze fixed on Zhao Wensu's corpse, watching helplessly as the blood splattered.

"Hehehe, hehehe..."

Chen Yuheng suddenly couldn't help but chuckle. He, a dignified seventh-rank official, was not as courageous as Zhao Kuaishou, a mere clerk.

"I, Chen Yuheng, and Qian Cheng, have never heard of any such thing as inferior money or not."

With a hiss, the sound of tearing cloth rang out, and the long sword pierced through Chen Yuheng's chest.

A sharp pain shot through his heart. Chen Yuheng frowned and gasped for breath, looking down at the sword tip protruding from his chest.

The next moment, he was roughly lifted up, bypassed the desk, and headed straight for the door.

They kicked open the door and brazenly appeared in the government office, having been abducted.

"Lord Chen!"

One of the men noticed something amiss and immediately cried out in alarm.

"Run! Run!"

Despite the excruciating pain, Chen Yuheng was spared death as the long sword pierced the center of his chest, avoiding a fatal blow.

But being roughly dragged along, every step was excruciatingly painful and heart-wrenching.

He shouted at the top of his lungs, but the sound of a flying knife cutting through the air rang out, and the knife pierced the official's throat.

A blinding red sight, and he fell straight down, taking his life in the blink of an eye!

Just then, a whisper sounded in his ear, "From this moment on, everyone you see will die, and all because of you."

The office was where people used to rest. It was afternoon, and most of the officials from the Quality Inspection Department were there.

The shouts and the sound of the body falling to the ground alerted the crowd, and soon a large number of people rushed over.

The sound of something cutting through the air echoed down the corridor; each strike required only a single flying knife, and no one could withstand it.

"No!"

Chen Yuheng's eyes turned bloodshot. He struggled desperately, but the hand behind his back seemed to weigh a ton, locking him in place so tightly that he couldn't move.

The Xuanji Guard seemed to know the layout of the place very well, and he continued walking forward on his own.

In less than the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea, there was no one left alive except for Chen Yuheng.

All eleven people died on the spot!

"Is there any counterfeit currency being minted?"

He had very little patience; after waiting three breaths without a reply, he dragged the person away.

The offices of the seven mints were connected, and we headed straight for the Treasury after leaving the Quality Inspection Department.

Rain splashed on Chen Yuheng's face, jolting him back to reality. "Run! There's an assassin! Run!"

The soldiers from Qianjian Town, who were patrolling the village, immediately issued a warning upon hearing the shouts from afar.

The sharp whistle spread rapidly, quickly becoming a continuous sound, and more and more people were rushing towards the office.

With a muffled groan, Chen Yuheng fell to the ground.

Xuanji Wei drew his longsword and strode past him, saying, "It's a sight to behold, every single one of you who died because of you."

His figure vanished suddenly, and the next moment, he appeared among the soldiers.

With a swift movement, swords flashed, and corpses fell one after another into the mud.

Many people were defeated without even drawing their swords or seeing the enemy, and were completely powerless to fight back!

Despite the excruciating pain in his chest, Chen Yuheng abruptly raised his head, his body trembling like a leaf.

A hand suddenly pierced through the rain, and a cry from the depths of the soul resounded through the heavens:

"No!"