CHAPTER 51: CHAPTER 51: THE LEGENDARY TOMBOY

Wang Lan left, yet the expressions of the two men remaining in the office were still grave.

"Wasn’t that a bit much?"

"Indeed, a bit over the top. Even Lord Flame Emperor isn’t that extreme."

"How about we just kill him? With a demon like that around, no one else gets a chance to live."

"You execute, I’ll approve the order!"

"Pah! You want me dead, don’t you?"

"Then what nonsense are you spouting? But really, I didn’t expect..."

"Didn’t expect what?"

"I didn’t expect you’d actually be willing to give him the Flame Sword... It’s only at this moment I’ve discovered you, He Lao’er, aren’t as obnoxious as I thought."

"You gave him the Star Cloud Sword Dance. How could I not give away the Flame Sword? How would the brothers from other places view me otherwise? Just like you, I was entrusted by the Flame Emperor to stay in Suzhou City and take care of Wang Lan. Are you trying to be generous while making me look stingy? How could I hold my head high in front of our brothers in the future? Wait a second! Are you setting me up?" Suddenly, He MingXue realized something, staring at Wang Qianfeng with gritted teeth.

"Setting you up? Has your Law Enforcement Department always been so fond of heaping false charges on others?"

"You giving away the Star Cloud Sword Dance forced my hand to offer the Flame Sword..."

"Who forced you? You could’ve chosen not to give it," Wang Qianfeng snorted coldly, turning back to his desk. "He’s already gone. What are you still doing standing here?"

"Drinking tea."

"I’m getting to work."

"You do your work; I’ll drink my tea."

"Do you not realize this is the office of the Head of the Intelligence Division? As the Head of the Law Enforcement Department, you should be very well aware that all official duties handled here involve top-secret intelligence. No one other than the Bureau Chief is allowed access to it."

"Heh... Don’t try to scare me with that. Do you think I’m easily frightened?" Although his words were tough, his body honestly stood up. "Although the Tianjian Bureau is about to expand, the official documents haven’t been issued yet, so you better watch yourself."

Leaving those words behind, He MingXue departed.

Suddenly, Wang Qianfeng’s expression changed. With a flash, he appeared before a cabinet and opened it. Staring at the empty cabinet, Wang Qianfeng’s face instantly turned pitch black.

A roar exploded from the office.

"He Lao’er, my premium tea leaves... five hundred per tael!"

Exiting the Tianjian Bureau, Wang Lan walked along the streets of the financial center, which seemed bustling yet felt deeply solemn.

It was bustling because this was Suzhou City’s financial heart, hosting the municipal headquarters of all banks, the financial exchange, and even the largest stock market center. But to call it solemn—the streets were almost deserted, save for a few sweepers. Even during the summer vacation, the few chain convenience stores they passed were also utterly deserted.

Wang Lan had never been here before. His initial curiosity soon faded into disinterest. He took out his smartphone to search for directions and then headed for the nearest bus stop.

Hmm? Suddenly, a shop’s sign caught Wang Lan’s eye: "Dragon Spring Sword Pavilion."

Although he now possessed the Flame Sword Star Martial Skill, it was unfortunate that he couldn’t simultaneously use the Star Cloud Sword Dance. And to perform the Star Cloud Sword Dance, he needed a sword.

Wang Lan knew that for swordsmen, blades were custom-made. Even Star Martial Warriors who weren’t dedicated swordsmen but used swords had them specially crafted. Only mediocre practitioners, or those who kept swords merely as spares, used standard-issue equipment. He vividly remembered how his Octagonal Han Sword had been mangled by an alloy baseball bat in a previous skirmish. Use that kind of sword on the battlefield in the future? I can’t afford to lose face like that.

With that thought, Wang Lan strode into the Dragon Spring Sword Pavilion without hesitation.

"Good day, sir. Are you here to look at swords?" There was only one young lady in the shop. She wore her hair in an ancient-style bun and was dressed in beautiful traditional attire. Standing elegantly, she gave Wang Lan the illusion of having stepped back into ancient times.

"Yes! I’ve long heard of the fame of Dragon Spring swords and came out of admiration."

"Thank you for your patronage, sir. Please, this way..." The young lady in traditional attire greeted him with a gentle, perfectly seamless bow.

"Sir, are you a Star Martial Warrior?"

"Does it make a difference?"

"If you weren’t, I would sell you a decorative sword, one without an edge. But if you are, then it’s a real killing tool."

"This is my Star Martial Badge, please take a look."

The girl took the Star Martial Badge, glanced at it, and her eyes softened with a hint of tenderness.

It was the same all over the world: whether because beauties admired heroes or because Star Martial Warriors held high social status, they were always revered among ordinary folk. If a girl could capture the favor of a Star Martial Warrior, she was unlikely to refuse. In terms of personal combat ability or earning potential, Star Martial Warriors far surpassed ordinary people in every aspect. But there was a balance to everything. While Star Martial Warriors could earn a lot, their expenses were also considerable. Wang Lan still couldn’t fathom how such a powerful group managed to integrate seamlessly into ordinary society without causing a major imbalance. If he applied the thinking from his previous life, given the vast number of Star Martial Warriors and the preference of girls to marry one, wouldn’t ordinary men soon die out?

But in reality, very few girls married Star Martial Warriors; even with much scheming, the probability was low.

"Sir, do you have any requirements for the length and weight of the sword? Do you prefer to wield it with your left or right hand?"

"Uh... I don’t really have any specific requirements. How about you pick a few for me to try?" Wang Lan truly didn’t know; the first time he had used a sword was the recent Octagonal Han Sword.

"Alright. This is the Condensation Abyss Sword, crafted by our master smith at the Dragon Spring Sword Pavilion. This sword combines the advantages of both a sword and a saber, capable of chopping and thrusting. However, it is somewhat heavy. It’s difficult to wield with one hand, yet the hilt seems too short for two-handed use. If you, sir, possess extraordinary arm strength, perhaps you could give it a try."

"Bring it here for me to see."

The girl brought the sword over with both hands; it indeed seemed quite heavy for her. She was petite, about 1.6 meters tall, and wobbled, struggling to keep her balance while holding the heavy sword.

"Be careful, miss," Wang Lan quickly reached out, but wisely avoided touching her, instead gripping the sword’s hilt to share its weight.

Meeting the girl’s somewhat resentful gaze, Wang Lan unsheathed the Condensation Abyss Sword. Its blade was gleaming and beautifully patterned. The sword was heavy, probably around twenty-two pounds (ten kilograms), which would indeed be difficult for an average person to handle with one hand.

Has this young lady never sold to a Star Martial Warrior before, or what? Even a female Star Martial Warrior’s strength would far exceed that of a normal male. I may look frail, but my strength attribute has surpassed twenty, twice the upper limit for a normal human. Holding the sword, he felt it was quite light.

Wang Lan tried swinging it, and a WHOOSHING sound immediately filled the store.

Wang Lan frowned.

"Is the young master not satisfied?"

"This one creates too much wind noise when swung. It means the sword has high air resistance. Hasn’t it undergone any aerodynamic design?"

"Well... our Dragon Spring swords are all crafted according to traditional methods..."

"Even if you follow tradition, you must keep up with the times. Not all traditions are necessarily good. The blade is beautiful, but I need it for actual combat."

"Then, what about this Two-handed Great Sword?" the girl said, approaching a greatsword over a meter long displayed on a rack.

CLANG! She drew it out.

"Oh dear, it’s so heavy! Could you help me hold it...?"

Wang Lan was immediately taken aback, staring at the girl’s delicate, doll-like face.

Now you can’t lift it? I just saw you draw it out with one pull! Is this that legendary type—too weak to open a bottle cap one moment, but angry enough to twist off a titan’s head the next? Is she hiding a body of steel beneath those traditional clothes?

Wang Lan swallowed hard and took the Two-handed Great Sword.

The weight, less than fifty-five pounds, was acceptable, but... My Star Cloud Sword Dance is so elegant, and you want me to swing a Two-handed Great Sword like a windmill? That doesn’t seem right, does it?

"Are you not satisfied, young master? No worries. At the Dragon Spring Sword Pavilion, we can customize weapons according to customer requests. Just let me know your requirements. If it’s quick, it can be ready in half a month."

"Alright... Alright then!" Wang Lan sheathed the sword. "A standard length sword is fine, single-handed, weighing between twenty-two and thirty-three pounds. But it must be extremely sharp, able to withstand heavy blows, and it won’t dull or chip even when striking hard objects. Also, it needs to have low air resistance when swung..."

"Excuse me... Does this place buy swords?" Just then, a man as skinny as a bamboo pole entered the store and asked in a resonant voice.

"Sorry, sir, could you wait a moment? I’ll attend to this customer first. Our store does buy swords."

"Alright." The man didn’t argue and quietly sat by the counter, placing a short sword, only about two feet long, on it.

"Young master, could you leave your contact information? We will get in touch with you once it’s ready."

Perhaps surprised by the way the shop assistant addressed Wang Lan, the newcomer glanced in his direction. Wang Lan’s eyes, however, were now fixed on the sword in the man’s hands.

"Wait, big brother, are you selling this sword?"

"Yeah. You like it?"

"Can I take a look?"

The man released his grip, and Wang Lan took the sword, drawing it from its sheath.

The sword’s design was peculiar, giving the illusion of being twisted, though it was perfectly straight from hilt to tip. The blade was very thick, almost three centimeters at the spine. Because of this, the sword felt exceptionally heavy.

The blade and hilt were forged as a single piece. Wang Lan tried swinging it. As he did, air rushed past the blade, creating a sharp whistle, but the source of the whistle seemed strangely offset from the sword’s actual position.

What an unorthodox sword. If some Sword Dao expert were to use this sword to practice discerning position by sound, they’d probably die a very frustrating death. Moreover, when I swung it, I felt no air resistance. This is a sword perfectly suited for combat, and an incredibly insidious one at that.

"Does this sword have a name?"

"Ghost Wail."

"Fitting. How much?"

The man sized up Wang Lan. He was dressed very ordinarily: jeans, a short-sleeved windbreaker over a plain white T-shirt. The T-shirt itself was also very common, looking like something bought for twenty or thirty yuan from a street stall.

"Young brother, this sword of mine is an heirloom. While it’s not an antique, it does have a seventy-year history. It’s seen battlefields, slain members of the Demon Clan. The price... it certainly won’t be cheap. Are you sure you want it?"

"Just tell me the price. If it’s acceptable, I’ll take it."

"One hundred thousand! Not a penny less!"

"Done!" Wang Lan said without even haggling. "Give me your account number; I’ll transfer the money to you right now."

The shop girl’s eyes widened, and she puffed her cheeks in annoyance as the two brazenly struck a deal right in her shop.

But... it’s not like they did anything wrong... It’s just that the venue is a bit inappropriate. When you’re running a business, you can’t just say, ’If you want to make a deal, please step outside,’ can you?

The young lady grumbled internally for a bit. Suddenly, a thought struck her, and she stared intently at the skinny man. He’s definitely not going to declare this for taxes, is he? Should I report him?

"Alright, the sword is yours," the man said crisply, standing up and turning to leave, seeming even more eager to depart than Wang Lan.

"Um, young man, do you still want the sword you ordered?" Seeing Wang Lan about to leave, the young lady asked with hopeful eyes.

"That... I’m sorry, I’m quite satisfied with this sword. How about this: could you custom-make a duplicate of this model for me as a spare?"

"Certainly, I’ll take a picture of it."