Chapter 149: The County Magistrate plans to silence the commoners

Zhao said: "The thieves are not from this county; they came from outside."

County Magistrate's face turned black: "Well, outsiders dare to come and break ground on Tai Sui's head! It seems the transit fees coming into the county have decreased!"

Upon learning that outsiders had stolen the treasury, he was angry but somewhat relieved.

Because outsiders have to pay various fees when entering or passing through He Wan County, and also when leaving, there are constables stationed at every entry and exit point each day.

If any abnormality is detected, they will certainly not be allowed to pass.

The thieves dare not think of escaping He Wan County with all the treasury's goods.

However, the County Magistrate still had many doubts and asked: "Zhao, how did you find out?"

"It's not difficult," Zhao said with a proud expression, "Yesterday a striking man and woman came to our He Wan County; coincidentally, your residence was robbed last night, and this morning someone came to the County Office to pay bail for the detained commoners—this is definitely no coincidence."

"So the thieves are that outsider couple?" the County Magistrate glared, "But how could just two people clean out my entire treasury?"

Zhao furrowed his brow in thought: "Well… I can't figure it out right away, but you know there are plenty of heretical ways in the martial world; they must have used some special method unknown to us. Anyway, I'm certain the thieves are those two; once we catch and interrogate them, we'll know."

The County Magistrate asked: "Have you seen those two?"

"I've seen the woman," Zhao said with a cold smirk, "She came early this morning to pay the fine, and I was the one who handled it. I wondered why she was so generous—not only did she voluntarily accept the penalty and compensate the County Gate, she also redeemed everyone who owed taxes to our County Gate; it's clear the money wasn't hers."

The County Magistrate's cheeks twitched: "Dog female thief! Actually using my money, running to my County Office to redeem people! It infuriates me! Zhao, go catch them quickly! I want to grind that dog couple's bones to ashes and scatter them!"

"Yes, sir," Zhao said with clasped hands, "This is important; we must deploy all available County Officers, and I will describe the female thief's appearance to them to facilitate the search."

The County Magistrate gritted his teeth: "What does she look like?"

"Tsk," Zhao narrowed his eyes, "She's quite young, about twenty years old, tall with a graceful figure, her face is truly beautiful, especially her eyes—large and bright. Even without makeup, wearing a rough hemp shirt, she'd stand out in a crowd at a glance."

The County Magistrate's brows gradually furrowed: "How… hearing you say that, I also feel she looks familiar?"

As he spoke, he thought back and glanced to the side.

Immediately his eyes widened, pointing at Ning Jinli still in the hall, he exclaimed: "Ah ah ah! Isn't it her?! The man beside her is her accomplice!"

Zhao turned his head in surprise, only then realizing that the thieves he was seeking were already here!

The conversation between Zhao and the County Magistrate just now was also heard, more or less, by Xiao Qidi and Ning Jinli.

Xiao Qidi gave Ning Jinli a questioning look.

Ning Jinli hehehed a smile, giving him an affirmative look.

Xiao Qidi slightly nodded, a smile rose in his eyes, and he gave her a thumbs-up.

"Well, that saves trouble!" Zhao's eyes flashed with malice as he drew his side blade and rushed to the two, shouting, "Don't move! You can't escape!"

Ning Jinli muttered, "We weren't even thinking of running..."

Not only had she not thought of running, she had just been planning to stir up some trouble with Xiao Qidi so the County Officers would send them to jail.

"Where did you hide the stolen goods?" Zhao demanded sternly.

Xiao Qidi's face remained calm, he said nothing.

Ning Jinli pursed her lips, "You say we stole, so we stole? Where's the evidence?"

Zhao snapped, "If not you two, who else could it be!"

Ning Jinli lifted her chin, "Without proof you want to slander me? If you're capable, lock us up in prison!"

"Your mouth is still tough," Zhao sneered, "Fine, I'll oblige you."

"Men, take these two thieves to prison and interrogate them under torture!"

At the order, several constables seized Xiao Qidi and Ning Jinli's hands and led them away.

This suited them just fine, so they merely shouted a few symbolic protests of injustice and lawlessness, while actually walking faster than those escorting them.

"Sir, your family's wealth must still be in the county; once the County Officers pry open their mouths, we can return everything to you." Zhao said with clasped hands, "I still have other cases to attend; I'll take my leave first."

He was anxious to locate Xiu Mei's whereabouts, then silence her; he had already been delayed by the theft at the County Magistrate's residence and could not afford further delay.

The County Magistrate nodded with a smile, "Hard work, hard work, go quickly."

Zhao then left immediately.

The County Magistrate breathed a sigh of relief, then quickly ordered the severely injured human trafficker to be moved to a room and hurriedly summoned a doctor.

Before the doctor arrived, he also went into the room, dismissed the attendants, leaned by the bedside and asked softly: "How did you fall into that person's hands? What about the others?"

The human trafficker gasped weakly: "All… all were caught… by him… you must go rescue our people; if… if something happens to us, you… you…"

Before he finished speaking, the human trafficker fainted again.

The County Magistrate's expression grew grave; after waiting patiently for the doctor to arrive, he summoned personnel and hastily left the County Office.

At the same time.

In the prison, Xiao Qidi and Ning Jinli had already knocked out the wardens and guards.

Next, Xiao Qidi took charge of keeping watch.

Ning Jinli then, via the Time-Space Gate opened yesterday in the Death Prison, instantly arrived at Lin Xian Cheng and quickly contacted Duan Wu.

After briefly explaining the situation to Duan Wu, she had him swiftly select a troop of soldiers and horses, assembling before the Xianzi Temple.

"I'm now transmitting these troops to Xiu Mei's side," Ning Jinli said while adjusting the Spacetime Portal, "Then we'll split forces and proceed according to the plan."

Duan Wu and the soldiers replied with clasped hands: "Yes! Fairy!"

Ning Jinli discreetly wiped the virtual sweat from her forehead, gathered her spirit, circulated her Internal Strength, and began the transmission.

She can currently transmit at most five people plus five horses at once; any more cannot be sent, but she can do it in batches.

After transmitting fifty people and fifty horses in batches, she felt her Internal Strength nearly exhausted, her body near its limit, so she gritted her teeth and finally brought Duan Wu across.

"These troops… should… be enough…" Ning Jinli supported Duan Wu's arm, bent over, panting, large beads of sweat continually sliding from her pallid face.

The soldiers were extremely tense, fearing something might happen to her.

Duan Wu was even more worried, his face changing color: "Fairy, what's wrong with you?"

"Huu… it's fine…" Ning Jinli took a deep breath, forced herself to say, "The consumption is too great; my Internal Strength is temporarily on the verge of depletion, so the following matters… must be left to you to assist Xiao Qidi; I… I… I need to… recover. You hurry on."

"Are you really okay?" Duan Wu still wasn't reassured.

Ning Jinli straightened her back, "Stop whining, if you delay the operation I'll beat you when I get back."

Duan Wu dared not delay any further, dividing the fifty soldiers into two squads and riding his horse swiftly in opposite directions.

Ning Jinli now not only needed rest, but also needed to absorb energy and convert it into Internal Strength for replenishment; she therefore mobilized the last bit of Internal Strength in her body, shifted the other end of the Spacetime Portal to another location, and then, dragging a body that felt as heavy as ten thousand jin, staggered into the Time‑Space Gate.

The next second, she appeared in the ruins of the Kucherberg Nuclear Power Plant.

And the Time‑Space Gate here was the one opened during the last rescue of the expert.

"Sss… Huh…" Ning Jinli inhaled a huge breath sharply, then exhaled slowly.

In this human‑restricted zone of endless ruins, pervasive nuclear radiation filled the air, exactly what she needed.

Next, she could properly absorb the nuclear radiation energy and use the Tian Xuan Heart Method to refine it and replenish her Internal Strength.

—

On the other side, He Wan County Magistrate personally led dozens of people and rushed to the house that served as the Human Traffickers' stronghold.

It was already near noon, the sun high in the sky.

Despite his age, the He Wan County Magistrate rode a swift horse in a frantic gallop, his body nearly collapsing.

But he had no time to catch his breath, ordered the doors of the house opened, and personally led his subordinates to charge inside.

Soon enough, he found the remaining Human Traffickers.

However, only three were still alive, one of whom was the Human Trafficker Leader.

The other ten‑something all turned into horrifying dead bodies.

And the Human Trafficker Leader and the other two were left severely wounded and crippled.

Besides the Human Traffickers, the ordinary people previously locked here by the traffickers were also still alive.

The He Wan County Magistrate's face turned as ugly as possible; he ordered his men to give the three survivors quick bandages on the spot, while driving the remaining civilians into the courtyard.

"Tell me, who did this! Who tortured them like this!" the He Wan County Magistrate roared ferociously.

The crowd of civilians knelt on the ground, heads bowed, none answering.

The He Wan County Magistrate snatched a woman, yanked her hair, and, gritting his teeth, asked, "Is it that scum named Su Mu who did it?"

The woman trembled with pain, yet a cold sneer crossed her face as she spat a mouthful onto the magistrate's cheek.

"You're courting death!" the magistrate fumed, slapping her.

Then, scanning the crowd, he said gloomily, "Within my jurisdiction, such wanton disregard for life and such brutality has occurred; if you don't confess the truth, I will sentence you all heavily!"

The woman fell to the ground, a red mark blooming on her face, a trickle of blood at the corner of her mouth; she glared at the He Wan County Magistrate and shouted, "Dog Official! My family was kidnapped by Human Traffickers. I came to the county office to report, and you ignored me! Now these beasts are dead or maimed, and you threaten us! You will not die a good death!"

"Now I remember," the He Wan County Magistrate squinted his triangular eyes, "I do have some recollection of you, you shrewd woman. Didn't you ever wonder why, after you reported the official and were expelled from the county office, you yourself ended up captured here?"

The woman paused, then quickly retorted, "It's you! So you're… you're in league with these beasts!"

The He Wan County Magistrate narrowed his eyes and said, "That young man named Su Mu is now locked in the county office jail; he does have some skill, but unfortunately he's not my opponent. Tell me, is the murderer of these people just him alone, or does it include his accomplices?"

"Accomplice… huh…" The woman sneered, stood, pointed at herself, "I am his accomplice; I wish these beasts would suffer even more in death, I want to eat their flesh and sleep in their skin, I even wish to tear you, Dog Official, to pieces!"

At this moment, other civilians also rose one after another.

Regardless of age, whether old or young, or men crippled by the Human Traffickers or frail women, all stared at the magistrate with knife‑like gazes.

"We are all his accomplices!"

"Dog Official! You will not die a good death!"

The angry shouts rang out immediately.

"Sir, we've searched everywhere and found no one else," a subordinate reported.

"It seems that the kid's accomplice is only that woman named Ding Li," the He Wan County Magistrate said, his triangular eyes flashing with malicious intent.

"Dog Official! Bring your life!" a civilian, unable to bear any longer, shouted and lunged at the magistrate.

Other civilians instantly rushed at him as well.

Each one brimmed with hatred, as if to devour him alive.

"Outrageous!" several guards drew swords to block, shielding the magistrate behind them.

"Heh… a bunch of troublemakers," the He Wan County Magistrate squinted, stroked his beard and sneered, "Even if the Heavenly King himself came, he couldn't take my life. As for your lives, I will decide them today."

Having said that, he gave a signal to his subordinates.

The group he brought consisted partly of County Office Constables and partly of his household guards; ordinary civilians were hardly opponents, especially since most here were women and children.

To be safe, he could only silence all these victims completely.

Just as a slaughter was about to begin, urgent horse hooves thundered in from outside the house's main gate.

"All of you, stop!"

The loud rebuke, like thunder, shook the He Wan County Magistrate to the core.

He quickly turned his head and was stunned to see over twenty armored soldiers on warhorses appear before him.

The overwhelming pressure and deterrence froze his subordinates in place.

Although he held a numerical advantage, the opposing side was fully armed, and he dared not act rashly.

"I am the He Wan County Magistrate," he said while assessing the troops, stepping forward and bowing, "May I ask which army you belong to? Who is your commander?"

The leading soldier, seated on his horse, declared from above, "We are under Grand General Duan Wu, the soldiers of Xi Tun Guan!"

The magistrate thought for a moment, then smiled, "Duan Wu?" Oh, now I recall, he's the son of the old General Duan, right? I saw him a few times many years ago. Recently the court issued a notice, and I know that Duan Wu has become the commanding general of Xi Tun Guan. I was even thinking of going to Xi Tun Guan to pay my respects. Has General Duan now come to He Wan County? What business does he have?"