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墨書 Inktalez
Watching the carriage disappear around the corner, Meng Wu lowered his head to look at the scattered silver coins in his hand, feeling a mix of emotions. Since he didn't have to worry about major issues, it was better to consider how to deal with the events of the night.
Fighting was definitely not an option, even though taking on a few local ruffians was not much different from squashing a few bugs. The problem was that fighting would only lead to endless troubles unless he left the country immediately after. A person could develop feelings over time; being away from home for too long could make one grow fond of the people and scenery of their temporary residence.
Fortunately, with these scattered coins, he should have enough to handle the night's disturbances, Meng Wu thought to himself. With too many worries on his mind, he decided to skip dinner. Noticing that the heavy rain showed no signs of stopping, he took a deep breath and headed toward the outskirts of the city.
He knew a bit about Luzi's methods. Thankfully, both sides were close friends, so it was reasonable to look out for each other occasionally. Moreover, there were likely many spies from Qin State scattered across neighboring countries. So having one more or one less wouldn't significantly affect the overall situation.
Speaking of spies, there were surely many foreign agents in the capital of Qin State as well. Whether or not to engage in battle was one thing; when to start fighting was another. Even if he couldn't use connections to prevent Qin State from sending troops, at least he could learn who they intended to attack. This information was crucial and could lead to significant outcomes if handled properly.
To better gather intelligence, there were clear divisions of labor within the secret organization. The administrative staff focused on public relations, sparing no effort to befriend powerful figures for their schemes. The operatives were like Meng Wu—keeping a low profile until faced with troublesome loyalists, whom they would deal with using force. As long as it was done cleanly and decisively, it could be considered an unexpected incident.
Unless a master came to investigate the scene of an incident, everything would remain seamless. However, true masters had no authority over such matters because those who despised flattery were busy doing thankless jobs at the grassroots level. The decision-makers were either greedy or lustful; dealing with them was easy as pie. As long as benefits were offered, they would sell out their country without a second thought, especially when it involved avenging someone they already found distasteful.
While Meng Wu was lost in thought, he suddenly heard a rustling noise from outside. It seemed that what was meant to come had finally arrived; he would have to face it head-on. With that thought, he got up and grabbed a few pieces of silver Luzi had given him before heading for the door.
With a loud crash, the already flimsy wooden door fell apart. Meng Wu couldn't help but frown and shook his head to keep calm. Before he could say anything, he was suddenly surrounded by a group of people.
"Where is he! Grab him! Don't let him escape!" The clanking sound of chains filled the air as they bound the bewildered Woodcutter tightly.
Why were they even mobilizing government forces? Meng Wu quickly shouted his innocence, insisting that he was just an honest citizen.
As long as they captured him, everything would be manageable. This was a strict order from above; if they couldn't bring him back, the constables would be held accountable. In the dead of night, all this commotion wasn't ideal; several constables exchanged glances and quickly silenced his protests.
"Kid! Whether it's unjust or not, we'll talk about it later. If you didn't do it, you'll be released first thing tomorrow morning."
"What are you wasting your breath on him for?" The Fat Officer glared at the Tall Constable who was explaining to the suspect.
Meng Wu was filled with questions, but his mouth was tightly shut, making it impossible to inquire about the truth. Noticing that there were Soldiers nearby holding bows, he realized the situation was serious. Since he was already in their hands, he might as well go along and see how it unfolds.
As the officers escorted the prisoner to the city gate, the guards on duty looked at the bound man with a sense of admiration. This left Meng Wu even more confused; he thought to himself that he hadn't done anything noteworthy recently. How did it come to this? He naively believed he would first go to Prison, only to find out that he was being interrogated at night.
Sitting Above, the official listened to the report from his subordinates and scrutinized the kneeling Woodcutter below. "You've really done something big! Instead of thinking about escaping, you dare to lie at home sleeping soundly. Do you think This Official is incompetent?"
Meng Wu quickly explained, "Sir! I am truly wronged! I came into the city this morning to sell a load of firewood and returned home in the afternoon."
The Interrogator picked up an item from the table and weighed it in his hand, accurately calculating the amount of silver. "Can a load of firewood sell for nine taels of silver? Tomorrow, This Official might as well sell firewood too."
Meng Wu broke into a cold sweat and explained that he had borrowed it from a friend in the afternoon.
Upon hearing this, the Interrogator was even more puzzled. "Where is your friend? If you can bring him here to testify, This Official will let you go."
Luzi's identity was extremely special; he usually traveled between various countries. It was always him coming to find you; when would it be your turn to look for him? Besides, who knows where he is right now? He hadn't asked in the afternoon! If he had known it would turn out like this, he should have asked back then. Meng Wu opened his mouth but couldn't provide the answer that Above wanted.
Seeing that the kneeling man was speechless, the Interrogator sneered, "Let This Official explain for you! An outsider hired you to commit murder! And this silver is your reward. Hmph! Selling firewood!? This amount of silver is enough for your entire life’s expenses! If you don’t come clean soon, severe punishment awaits!"
What nonsense is this!? Murder!? If it weren't for his annoyance with all this, he would have left with Luzi in the afternoon! Meng Wu suddenly realized that being an ordinary citizen was not easy; whatever high-ranking officials said about you became your reality. Had he known it would be like this, he might as well have roamed freely with a sword seeking vengeance. But now it was too late; opportunities never wait for anyone.
"Sir! What I just said is completely true. If one could kill while dreaming, the Scoundrel wouldn't have to toil up the mountain to chop firewood anymore."
The Interrogator couldn't be bothered to respond, raising an eyebrow to signal the subordinates to apply torture. After all, they were just stubborn individuals! This Official had seen plenty of them! "Younger Ones! I know what you are all thinking. Don't blame This Official for not reminding you that this is My Lord's order. If you don't provide a confession by dawn tomorrow, not only will This Official's head be on the line, but none of you will escape either!"
There are certain protocols when it comes to inflicting punishment on criminals, which can generally be divided into three levels. The most severe level involves injuries that can lead to lifelong disabilities, even if the criminal takes half a year to recover; the second level involves wounds that heal within a month, allowing the person to walk again. The first two levels do not pose any technical challenges and thus require no further explanation.
The third level requires technical expertise to address and is the result of meticulous research by the Constables. The ancient terminology has long been lost in the annals of history, so let’s temporarily refer to it as the Cracking Type. This method produces a thunderous sound upon impact but only results in superficial swelling and bruising on the skin. If pardoned on the spot, the injured party could simply walk away. Under normal circumstances, if someone mishandled a case and accepted bribes from the criminal's family, there would be no complaints from top to bottom. However, things are different now; there is a strict deadline for solving this case imposed from Above.
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