Chapter 92: Caught by me

Xu Qiancai shakily raised his head, his voice trembling as he said: "I say this is a misunderstanding..."

Shen Qing lightly tapped his finger to interrupt his speech.

"Let me guess, are you trying to say you were kidnapped by the Wokou?"

Xu Qiancai stiffly nodded.

Shen Qing delivered a whip kick to Xu Qiancai's face: "Take it up with the Embroidered Uniform Guard's whip."

"Hang him up and beat him."

Then Shen Qing walked toward Yamamoto, who was nailed to the wall: "Are you the leader here?"

This golden arrow didn't cause him much injury, but the overbearing true qi was too overbearing; his inner true qi withered upon contact with the overbearing true qi.

Yamamoto could only watch helplessly as the overbearing true qi ravaged his body, trampling his true qi.

Only then did he truly feel the sensation of being an incompetent husband as described in his hometown's legends.

Yamamoto lifted his head, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth: "This arrow was shot by you? You're strong!"

Shen Qing looked at Yamamoto with contempt: "Are you starting to praise me just to beg for mercy?"

"It's a pity, but even like this I won't let you go."

Yamamoto spoke calmly, seeming to have given up struggling: "If I'm not mistaken, you are the new Pacification Commissioner of North Cloud City?"

"You know quite a lot, or did someone tell you?" Shen Qing said, turning his head to glance at Xu Qiancai, who was constantly wailing beneath Pan Ruhai's feet.

Yamamoto smiled: "No, that's not it; this piece of information isn't even useful for that trash."

"Wasn't it said by that captain? Then it's what I know myself."

Shen Qing looked at Yamamoto: "So you planted someone in the Pacification Office? You told me this information to let me know who that person is?"

Yamamoto's face showed a hint of confidence.

"No, I'm telling you this just so you know we've always had people in the Pacification Office, and you'll live in fear."

"And don't think you can get any information from me; I've undergone harsh ninja training since childhood, and I've had enough of punishment."

This is Yamamoto's idea: tell this information to Shen Qing, and as long as Shen Qing doesn't know who it is, he'll keep investigating, thereby splitting the North Cloud City Pacification Office; thus even if that spy is finally caught, the Pacification Office will still be severely weakened, which is also a gain for the Wokou.

Yamamoto, having received ninja training since childhood, believed he could withstand the Embroidered Uniform Guard's punishments; moreover, he didn't mention that Shen Qing's arrow shattered the poison sac hidden in his body—without taking an antidote within three hours, death is certain; if he endures three hours, his plan succeeds.

Of course, ideals are plentiful, reality is harsh.

Shen Qing snorted: "You're quite confident in yourself, huh?"

"But it's a pity, you know nothing about the Embroidered Uniform Guard's methods."

Having said that, Shen Qing waved his hand: "Old Li heard that, right? He's challenging your technique!"

Old Li scratched his head, his voice simple and honest: "I heard you, boss; then I'll start with playing the pipa."

As he spoke, Old Li drew a dagger and walked toward Yamamoto: "Captain Zhang! Captain Pan! Help me, hold him down."

Zhang Shanhe and Pan Ruhai sheathed their knives, stepped forward, and pressed down on Yamamoto, causing his ribs to protrude.

Seeing this posture, Yamamoto also grew a bit panicked: "Playing the pipa? What is that?"

Old Li's voice was simple and honest: "Playing the pipa means fixing you in place so your ribs protrude, then scraping them with a dagger."

"The first few cuts will slice your skin, blood pouring out; afterward, they'll gradually scrape away flesh until only white bone remains..."

Old Li spoke the most terrifying words in his most simple and honest tone.

He had indeed undergone much torture training in Wokou lands, but he had never heard of such a punishment as playing the pipa.

Yamamoto's pupils kept trembling as he watched Old Li's dagger steadily approach his ribs.

Immediately after, a heart-rending cry echoed through the Three Mountains Village; every Wokou kneeling on the ground trembled all over.

The scholar took a wine flask from his waist and handed it to Shen Qing: "Boss, have a drink; this is what I just found in the Wokou leader's house."

"I smelled it; it should be the famous Flying Rosy Liquid of Jia Shui Jun."

Shen Qing took the wine flask and smiled at the scholar.

"You did your homework again ahead of time?"

The scholar chuckled: "Nothing escapes the boss's keen eye."

"I just did a simple investigation; although Jia Shui Jun borders Yong Ning Jun, their culture and cuisine differ greatly."

"Our Yong Ning Jun cuisine is heavy-flavored, while Jia Shui Jun is light, offering a different taste."

"Just the North Cloud City we're heading to has six famous wines and dozens of delicacies."

Shen Qing took a sip; the wine indeed tasted very different from that of Yong Ning Jun, but the mouthfeel was excellent.

I like having someone like the scholar when traveling; though we haven't arrived yet, I've already prepared the guide.

And all Shen Qing has to do is take care of eating.

Shen Qing leaned against the White Tiger, found a comfortable angle, wanting to nap a little, but before even a cup of tea's time had passed, Yamamoto nearby began to shout.

"I've confessed, I've confessed—don't play, don't play!"

Shen Qing opened his eyes to see Yamamoto's chest covered in wounds, a rib completely exposed to the air.

Old Li was somewhat dissatisfied: "Not that bad, huh? You can't even last a cup of tea's time?"

Yamamoto's gaze toward Old Li was full of fear, his body trembling uncontrollably.

Shen Qing waved his hand, pointing to Xu Qiancai nearby: "The torture tools are already out—let's use them on him too."

Xu Qiancai, still under whip lashing, panicked at once upon hearing this; as an Embroidered Uniform Guard member, he knew what playing the pipa entailed, and he had just heard Yamamoto's anguished cries.

He hurriedly shouted: "I don't want to play the pipa! I'll confess too! I'll confess too!"

Shen Qing stepped toward Yamamoto: "Want to confess? Looks like your punishment training isn't that great either."

Yamamoto's face was full of fear and regret, regretting why he had spoken up.

"Speak, who is the hidden traitor inside the North Cloud City Pacification Office?"

Yamamoto struggled to speak: "Captain... Lin Ru."

Shen Qing narrowed his eyes; his innate six senses could tell that Shan Ben was speaking the truth.

But to speak the truth directly?

Shen Qing's mouth corners curled up slightly.

"Not just one, right?"

Shan Ben's pupils contracted slightly, he shook his head: "Just one."

Shen Qing chuckled: "Old Li, continue."

Shan Ben panicked at once: "I'll speak! I'll speak!"

"There's also a Centurion, Liu Wei!"

"Any more?"

"None left! Really none left!"

Shen Qing furrowed his brows; this time he actually told the truth.

Just two is already too many.

The Embroidered Uniform Guard being called the emperor's sharp blade is not without reason; its recruitment is extremely strict.

Knowing that the Luoshui City Garrison Office had produced a traitorous Centurion, they dispatched a Garrison Commissioner, a Chiliarch, and five Centurions to pursue into White Egret Marsh.

With just one they already caused a major uproar; what about two?

Could it be that the Wokou also mastered the same escape heart-test method as the White Dragon Sect? And even more skillfully?

What a troublesome bunch!

Shen Qing waved his hand: "Old Li! Keep playing! Play until death!"

Shan Ben's eyes were full of disbelief: "No! You can't do this! It's inhumane! I've already confessed!"

Shen Qing snorted: "A Wokou lecturing me about humanity?"

"Go down underground and tell the civilians you slaughtered!"

"And what I will do is send you to meet them."

Shen Qing walked over to Xu Qiancai: "Your turn!"

Xu Qiancai's face was full of despair; he had heard that Shen Qing could discern truth from falsehood in speech, and had just seen Shan Ben's fate, so he now dared not lie at all.

He told everything in detail.

Shen Qing snorted coldly; this Xu Han was really restless, even before taking office he was already plotting to kill himself.

He really is a dangerous bomb.

But it's a pity.

He was caught by Shen Qing!