Chapter 80: Assassins from Charax Spasinu! (1/2)
Hua!
In the room, Wang Chong rolled open a three chi long xuan paper. Dabbing the brush in ink, he started to contemplate over the design of the second Wootz steel sword he was going to forge for the auction.
The commanders of the Imperial Army weren’t fools. Those who were able to climb through the ranks were people possessing true abilities. Even though they gave their money to Wang Chong generously, their expectation of the sword was extremely high.
The swords that Wang Chong forged has to satisfy their demands.
“It’s fortunate that the design of the swords in this world is still quite plain, I still have a huge variety of choices to choose from!”
Wang Chong thought.
In this generation, despite the numerous swordsmiths in the capital, as people were more concerned with the sharpness of their weapon, they neglected the appearance of the blade. As such, most of the swords forged were of the same design.
In comparison, Wang Chong seemed to be a grandmaster in this aspect!
‘A good tavern didn’t fear being buried in the deep alleys’, a good packaging was important in all commercial activities. For example, alcohol stored in the porcelain bottle would be much more conspicuous than alcohol stored in a normal jar.
A sword with a beautiful outer appearance was entirely different from a plain-looking sword.
“Since I’ve already tried forging a sword, maybe I should go for a saber for the auction.”
Wang Chong thought.
Saber was always one of the Two Kings of Weapons. Even though most of those in the Central Plains preferred to use swords, the standing of saber was still above that of the other weapons.
As it was much more difficult to wield a saber, if one wasn’t a top-notch expert, it was difficult to bring out the true strength of a saber. Even so, Wang Chong knew that there were quite a few saber experts in the Imperial Army.
If Wang Chong wanted to solidify his standing as the number one swordsmith in the world, he must be more than capable of smithing swords. More than that, he has to prove that he was unrivaled in the art of saber crafting as well.
There wasn’t a single commander in the Imperial Army that wasn’t picky. An ordinary saber wouldn’t satisfy them.
As Wang Chong mused over the matter, something appeared in his mind.
Of the publicly renowned Three Great Swords, other than the Wootz steel sword, there was also the katana of Japan as well.
The Japanese katana originated from the Great Tang’s modao, but it was much more suited for hacking moves than the modao. However, in this world, Japan didn’t exist.
Wang Chong didn’t intend to simply replicate the katana, but rather, he hoped to design a new sword using the katana as the fundamental blueprint.
After contemplating for a moment, the brush started moving around the xuan paper.
A moment later, an entirely new sword unlike any other in this world appeared on the paper. This sword was shaped similar to the Japanese katana, but it was more than a single fold longer, reaching around 6 chi to 7 chi long!
(6 chi -> 2 meter)
The blade was extremely slim and long, and following suit, the hilt was the same as well.
It was impossible for an ordinary human to use this kind of sword, given that it was of the equal height as them. However, Wang Chong paid no heed to the matter.
The 6 chi weighed around 60 jin, making it impossible for ordinary humans to wield it. However, for the martial artists who possessed unparalleled strength, the design of the sword, which made it suitable for hacking movements, could unleash the true destructive might of the Wootz steel.
Wang Chong was certain that this weapon would bewitch the saber experts of the Imperial Army.
“… However, I’ll need more materials for the crafting. At the very minimum, I will require 2 jun!”
Wang Chong thought.
Wang Chong has spent just a single jun of Hyderabad ore to craft the first Wootz steel sword. However, crafting this blade would require at least 2 jun. Even though the cost has increased significantly, Wang Chong believed that the price would rise proportionately as well.
Wang Chong would only earn greater profits from the sword.
“Hu!”
Just as Wang Chong was musing over the matter, the slight sound of the wind suddenly reached Wang Chong’s ears. Frowning, Wang Chong abruptly stopped all actions.
“Intruders!”
Wang Chong immediately realized what was going on. He might have lost the incredible cultivation he possessed in his previous life, but his experience and keen senses were still present.
That was the sound of a robe battered against strong wind.
——Someone has sneaked into the Wang Family Residence!
“Hmph, if you think that you can enter and leave the Wang Family Residence as and when you please, you are sorely mistaken!”
Wang Chong’s lips curled up coldly.
Regardless of whether it was the 600,000 gold taels present in the residence or the Wootz steel sword, many people would definitely be blinded by greed. As the saying goes, ‘possessing a treasure is a cardinal sin’, if Wang Chong wasn’t guarded against such thieves, he would truly be unbefitting of an ex-Grand Marshal.
Pu!
Extinguishing the candle flame, Wang Chong immediately grabbed the Wootz steel sword hanging on the wall. Jiya, he discreetly pushed open the window and sneaked out.
At the forge of the Wei Clan, Wang Chong crafted a total of four swords. However, he only decorated a single one of it, embedding agates and gemstones on the hilt of the sword and plating the sheath with gold, making it look both extravagant and elegant.
As for the other three, he didn’t add any additional ornaments to them. Besides, Wang Chong didn’t intend to sell them. As such, he has been keeping them in the residence all along.
Beneath the frosty moonlight, Wang Chong could clearly see the nimble movements of the black figures from the roofs, on the ground, and by the walls, as they rushed straight toward the treasure vault of the residence.
“They seem to be well-aware of the layout of the residence! They must have been spying during the day.”
Wang Chong thought.