Chapter 86: Solving the Thunder

Inside the Yuanshun Escort Agency, it was a mess. Since things were fine on Xiao Zongting's side, let Luan Jingfu worry about the matters elsewhere. Duan Rong turned his feet, deciding to go out for a stroll to disperse the gloom in his heart.

As soon as Duan Rong stepped out of the agency's main gate, he discovered that West Street also seemed to be in a mess, with the figures of Constables and Ya Men runners hurrying past from time to time.

On the street surface of West Street, which was usually quite clean and tidy, a large number of paper sheets, like sycamore leaves, had actually fallen.

A gust of wind blew, causing those papers to fly about against the street surface. With a rustle, one stuck to Duan Rong's trouser leg. Duan Rong bent down to pick it up and took a look; it was a wanted poster, with a few lines of small text beneath a portrait outlined in ink.

"Xu Ruhu..." Duan Rong's eyes flickered, feeling that this name sounded somewhat familiar.

The street was also quite chaotic; some shops had already closed their doors, and from far and near, one could still hear the sounds of Ya Men runners kicking doors and shouting.

Duan Rong walked forward for a stretch and discovered that a teahouse at the street corner was actually still open. He paced inside and saw that it was empty, with only one figure sitting alone at a seat in the middle.

That person was wearing an official uniform with a blade tied at the waist; it was actually a Constable from the Ya Men. Duan Rong was just about to turn away when he looked closely and realized that the Constable was none other than his childhood friend, Yang Zhen.

Duan Rong smiled and walked over, only to see Yang Zhen staring blankly at an object in his hand; it was actually a throwing dart!

That throwing dart was seven or eight inches long, flat and sharpened, with a red tassel at the end, flashing with a cold light in Yang Zhen's hand!

Duan Rong patted Yang Zhen and laughed, "What are you studying? It's just a throwing dart, why are you looking at it so intently?"

Yang Zhen raised his head, his eyes looking at Duan Rong as if they had lost focus for an instant; this was the reaction of someone whose deep thinking had been suddenly interrupted.

After a breath, Yang Zhen seemed to finally recognize Duan Rong and laughed, "Tudou, why are you here?"

"What? Since when did this teahouse become your home? Can't I come here?" Duan Rong said, plopping down opposite Yang Zhen and pouring himself a cup of tea.

"That's not it..." Yang Zhen was just about to say something when his expression suddenly froze.

It had been only a little over a month since the two last met, but Duan Rong was completely different.

Not only had he grown half a head taller, but his body was also more sturdy and burly. What surprised Yang Zhen even more was the open and confident manner naturally revealed in Duan Rong's speech and demeanor, which even made him, who was usually accustomed to socializing, feel a faint sense of oppression.

"Xiao Rong." Yang Zhen had always been used to calling Duan Rong 'Tudou', but at this moment, he subconsciously changed his form of address as soon as he spoke. "You seem... to have changed somewhat..."

Yang Zhen weighed his words, but still didn't know how to describe his feelings.

Duan Rong's eyes rolled, and he knew what Yang Zhen was talking about, so he laughed, "Mm, I was selected as an Apprentice Escort! I've already been practicing an Internal Cultivation Method for over a month."

Yang Zhen's expression froze.

Although Duan Rong had gone to the Yuanshun Escort Agency, he had never believed that Duan Rong could be selected as an Apprentice Escort.

One had to know that Escorts and Constables were basically considered to be in the same social stratum, and their incomes were about the same. Although Constables could sometimes throw their weight around in front of commoners, they wouldn't dare to act tough when they truly met a martial artist.

"Is that so? That impressive?" Although Yang Zhen was happy for Duan Rong, he felt more of a bitter taste, because from now on, he would have no sense of superiority in front of this childhood friend.

Duan Rong saw at a glance that Yang Zhen's smile was somewhat unnatural, but having lived two lifetimes, he could still understand this little bit of vanity from his childhood friend.

Yang Zhen soon realized that his state of mind was problematic, so he said as if to cover it up, "You kid are doing pretty well too! Being an Escort in the future is also a respectable job. Such a good thing, aren't you going to treat me?"

Duan Rong drank the tea in his cup dry and said, "I'm so poor now that I only have money left! Where shall we eat? You pick!"

"Damn! Are you being that extravagant?" Yang Zhen's expression was stunned, then his eyes flashed as a piece of information jumped into his mind, and he asked in surprise, "Wait... wait a second... that 'Painter Duan' from the Yuanshun Escort Agency that was rumored a while back, the guy who charges ten taels of silver for a painting, and then the County Magistrate even invited him to dinner? That person isn't you, is it?"

At the time, that commotion became more and more outrageous as it spread. By the time Yang Zhen heard about it, it had been described beyond recognition, and he hadn't thought of Duan Rong.

If you told him Duan Rong could paint, he wouldn't believe it even if you beat him to death.

"That is indeed yours truly!" Duan Rong smiled and shamelessly admitted it generously.

Yang Zhen's expression changed. He paused and then said, "Wait... that's not right. You aren't fooling me, are you? Since when could you paint? Why have I never seen you paint?"

As Yang Zhen spoke, he looked at Duan Rong with a suspicious face.

Duan Rong rolled his eyes at Yang Zhen and said, "I can also take a dump! Have you ever seen me take a dump?"

"Damn, can you not say something so disgusting!"

"I see Constables and Ya Men runners all over the street searching; why are you sitting here drinking tea leisurely?" Duan Rong deliberately changed the subject and asked.

Yang Zhen helplessly stretched out his right leg and said, "That... I'm injured..."

Duan Rong took a look and saw that Yang Zhen's right calf was wrapped in bandages, with bloodstains faintly seeping through.

"Oh... how did you get injured like this?" Duan Rong's expression was exaggerated and somewhat comical.

"It was injured by this!" Yang Zhen said, raising the throwing dart in his hand. It was the one he had been staring at when Duan Rong first came in.

"What happened?" Duan Rong recalled Yang Zhen's thoughtful expression when he first entered and felt that the matter was likely not simple.

"Sigh, it's a long story..." Yang Zhen sighed. He had nothing to do, and just as he was about to have a good chat with Duan Rong, a group of people suddenly rushed into the teahouse noisily.

The person in the lead was a man with a thin build, high cheekbones, and large, flickering eyes. He looked to be about thirty years old, but there were pale blue circles under his eyes, seemingly caused by long-term insomnia.

That man rushed in with a team of Ya Men runners holding water-fire staves and shouted to the boss behind the counter, "Boss, we are here on orders to search, excuse us!"

As he spoke, he waved his hand, and the Ya Men runners behind him rushed in!

The boss was flustered and hurriedly followed the runners toward the Back Courtyard!

"Brother Lei!" As soon as Yang Zhen saw that person, he immediately struggled to stand up, leaning on the table.

This person was named Xie Lei, and he was the own nephew of Xie Daohan!

After a major case like Xu Ruhu's prison break occurred, the Ya Men was restless inside and out. Xie Daohan had taken the Constables himself to tackle the tough nuts among the major forces in the county, while letting Xie Lei lead the runners to search along the streets!

Xie Lei heard someone calling him, turned his head to look, was slightly stunned, and said, "Yang Zhen, why are you here?"

Yang Zhen gave an awkward smile and said, "I couldn't stay at home, so I came out to sit for a while!"

"You'd better go back. The whole city is being searched, it's not safe outside! Your leg isn't good either, go home and rest well for a couple of days," Xie Lei said with a concerned tone.

Yang Zhen agreed and prepared to leave. Duan Rong immediately reached out to support him. Yang Zhen smiled at Duan Rong, feeling somewhat dazed for a moment; when he was young and got injured in fights outside, Duan Rong had supported him home countless times!

It was just that back then, Duan Rong was far shorter and smaller than him, but at this moment, Duan Rong was already faintly more sturdy than him.

The two walked past Xie Lei. Xie Lei took a look at Duan Rong and said, "Your friend?"

Yang Zhen said, "He's my childhood friend! An Apprentice Escort from the Yuanshun Escort Agency, Duan Rong!"

Xie Lei nodded slightly at Duan Rong, which counted as a greeting.

The two left the teahouse, and Duan Rong said, "This person looks gloomy, but he speaks quite kindly."

Yang Zhen said, "Brother Lei usually takes good care of us."

Duan Rong's eyes flashed as he recalled information from a long time ago and said, "He is the own nephew of Head Constable Xie, Xie Lei?"

"Exactly!"

Duan Rong supported Yang Zhen as they walked to the entrance of the teahouse, then looked back and happened to see Xie Lei's silhouette in the twilight; although Xie Lei was thin, his frame was large, and just looking at his silhouette, he resembled a clothes rack.

The two left the teahouse, and Yang Zhen said, "It's a mess outside. Let's buy some wine and meat and go to my place to eat and drink!"

"That works!" Duan Rong's mood was gloomy, and seeing that Yang Zhen also seemed full of frustration, the two could just use wine to drown their sorrows.

Duan Rong supported Yang Zhen to a deli, bought some pig's head meat and a fat chicken, and had the owner mix a cold dish; afterwards, the two went to a wine shop and grabbed a jar of yellow wine.

Duan Rong carried the wine, Yang Zhen toted the food, and the two went to Yang Zhen's home, chatting and laughing.

Neither of them stood on ceremony, and as soon as they returned, they began to eat and drink; they even scrambled to drink the jar of yellow wine, and before long, both were hiccuping incessantly...

"That... how did you get injured... you were only halfway through telling me at the teahouse..." Finally finished scrambling for food and drink, Duan Rong finally freed up his mouth, his face flushed with wine, and asked.

Yang Zhen gave a half-drunk smile and said, "Xu Ruhu... was snatched away... from the prison!"

Duan Rong felt a slight shock in his heart. At the entrance of the Escort Agency, Xie Daohan had spoken of a prison break; it seemed that old guy hadn't told the truth—Xu Ruhu had been snatched from the prison by someone.

"Were you there at the time?" Duan Rong's eyes brightened, and most of his drunkenness had already faded. Since Yang Zhen was injured, he was likely on the scene.

"I was!" Yang Zhen said with some annoyance, "That person who broke into the prison... was wearing black clothes! He ran past me with Xu Ruhu on his back, and of course, I tried to intercept him! As soon as we met, he kicked me away... then a Suozhibiao pierced my calf..."

Yang Zhen spoke intermittently, and as he spoke, the strength of the alcohol rose, and he slumped onto the table and passed out drunk...

Duan Rong shook him and said, "And then? How can you stop just as you get to the crucial part!"

Duan Rong shook him, but seeing he couldn't be woken, he had no choice but to let him sleep.

At this moment, Duan Rong caught sight of the Suozhibiao that had fallen by Yang Zhen's feet; Duan Rong reached out, pinched the Suozhibiao in his hand, and silently recited, "Spirit Reader!"

Artifact: Suozhibiao

Artifact Spirit Level: Unranked

Devouring Requirement: None

Devouring Effect: Thousand-Hand Arhat Entry Level

Duan Rong looked at the set of data before him and smiled slightly; it seemed to be a technique for hidden weapons.

Hidden weapon techniques, like Lightness Skill, also belonged to niche martial arts, and although it was only Entry Level, it was quite difficult to master.

Duan Rong blinked his wine-reddened eyes; he suddenly thought of how his attempts at Devouring Tree Spirit had always failed.

But if Devouring Tree Spirit failed, would devouring other Artifact Spirits succeed?

Duan Rong decided to give it a try and said, "Devour!"

The next moment, Duan Rong's eyes lit up. "It actually succeeded!"

Only then did Duan Rong recall the prompt text from when Devouring Tree Spirit failed: the relevant area of the Divine Sense Space was full!

"The relevant area is full! That is to say, the Artifact Spirit of a weapon and a Tree Spirit are not in the same area within the Divine Sense Space. Only the area relevant to Tree Spirits is full, but the area relevant to weapons can still be used."

Duan Rong speculated thus, and the drunkenness and the discomfort in his brain after devouring the Artifact Spirit surged up together; he soon fell fast asleep beside Yang Zhen...

In the middle of the night, the night wind howled, and Duan Rong suddenly woke up from the messy wine table; his sleepy eyes shot out a strange light, and he muttered to himself, "That... the one practicing the Suozhibiao... that silhouette..."

"That silhouette..." As Duan Rong spoke, he suddenly stood up from the wine table, his face full of astonishment, and said, "The one who snatched Xu Ruhu from the prison... is Xie Lei!"

(End of chapter)