Chapter 31: Uninvited guest

Chen Guanlou is not afraid of being investigated by the above, but more afraid of the swordsman and the mysterious brocade man.

There is no basis, he is just sure that there is one more person in the house, although this person hides very well. His intuition has always been very sharp and has never deceived him.

He held his breath, pretending to sleep, hoping to muddle through.

Unexpectedly...

"Wake up and get up." A cold and hoarse voice, without a trace of emotion.

Following the sound, Chen Guanlou determined that the other party was by the window.

He

"If you're awake, get up." A cold, hoarse voice spoke, devoid of the slightest emotion.

Following the sound, Chen Guanlou confirmed that the other person was by the window.

He slowly opened his eyes, got up, struggled to adapt to the darkness, and looked toward the window.

A swordsman!

The visitor was a swordsman!

For some reason, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief. If the person who came had been the man in the brocade uniform, he would probably be dead by now. Without any basis, he was just that certain: facing a swordsman, he still had a glimmer of hope.

Neither of them lit a lamp. The dark atmosphere was very suitable for tonight's conversation.

Chen Guanlou felt his way to the table in the dark, poured a cup of water, and asked the other person, "Would you like a drink?"

Seeing him so composed, the swordsman actually laughed, "Aren't you afraid I'll kill you?"

Chen Guanlou went on drinking his tea as if no one else were there, then sat on a round stool and said in a calm tone, "If you wanted to kill me, you would have done it long ago. There's no need to waste words with a lowly prison guard."

"You also know you're just a lowly prison guard, yet you had the guts to plot against the murder demon Duan Tianlin."

Chen Guanlou flatly denied it and firmly fought back, "Don't slander people. I wanted to let people out to save everyone's life."

"At a time like this, you're still spouting nonsense; you really aren't afraid of death. Do you think I would dare to talk nonsense without evidence?"

As soon as the words fell, the various poisons and stupefying drugs that had been well-hidden were tossed onto the table.

Chen Guanlou was shocked and turned pale; the poisons had been searched out, but what about the "Sheng Tian Lu"? Had that been searched out too?

He was terrified and uneasy in his heart, but he dared not show the slightest trace, even slowing the rhythm of his breathing. He was afraid the other person would learn his true thoughts from the changes in his breath.

Dealing with these martial artists, he dared not be the least bit careless.

After all, he had no martial pulse; he simply didn't know and couldn't comprehend just how awesome people with martial pulses were.

"I was just taking precautions." He offered a weak defense. Showing weakness to the enemy was the only method he could think of at the moment.

Kill the swordsman?

Are you crazy!

The man is a Second Rank, and might even be at the peak of the Second Rank.

He, someone who had only been learning Wu Gong for a few months, what could he use to kill a Second Rank martial artist?

A person can be confident, but not arrogant!

"Do you think you can hide whether a person has murderous intent? I've heard that these past few days, you haven't taken little care of Duan Tianlin."

"I was forced." When Chen Guanlou said this, he appeared particularly aggrieved.

"Why did he force you?"

Could this be the reason the swordsman raided him tonight?

Chen Guanlou thought for two seconds and, without any concealment, explained the cause and effect clearly. He only hid the parts about himself knowing internal cultivation techniques, harboring secrets, and being threatened by Duan Tianlin. He only said that Duan Tianlin was a Fifth Rank martial artist and that killing him would be as easy as turning over one's hand, so he had no choice but to submit.

The swordsman seemed to believe his words.

"Where did you get the confidence to dare to fish in troubled waters and dream of killing Duan Tianlin?"

"I had to give it a try; what if I succeeded? I don't want to be threatened by others for the rest of my life. No one knows if he still has remnants or accomplices outside. It doesn't matter for me alone, but I still have my eldest sister. It wasn't easy for her to raise me, and I can't implicate her."

"You have quite a lot of nerve."

"This hero, for the sake of the one time we cooperated, can you give me a quick death?" Chen Guanlou looked pitiful, almost begging.

The swordsman laughed, "You were so certain before that I wouldn't kill you, why are you afraid now?"

Chen Guanlou carefully explained, "I thought about it carefully; I'm just a lowly prison guard, why would a dignified Second Rank martial artist need to make a trip in person?"

The swordsman was silent for a long time, so long that Chen Guanlou's clothes were soaked with sweat, before the other person said, "Rest assured, I won't kill you this time."

Not killing this time, does that mean he'll kill next time?

Chen Guanlou shouted in his heart, can't you just give me a quick one, can you speak clearly?

"Many thanks, hero! Rest assured, hero, too many things happened in the Heavenly Prison today, it was too chaotic. I've lived this long and it's my first time experiencing a prison break; my head is still buzzing. They said I was traumatized, and I'm afraid I won't be able to remember what happened during the day for the rest of my life."

He stated his position very sincerely.

In the face of life and death, all schemes and plots must be carefully hidden; only sincerity can win people's hearts.

Who told him his strength was insufficient.

If he had the martial power of a Second Rank martial artist, let alone Second Rank, even if he were only First Rank, he would dare to give it a try.

"However, you have to do one thing for me."

"Please give your orders, hero."

"I heard that a prisoner is missing from the Heavenly Prison."

"Prisoner Number Thirteen; I have never seen that prisoner's face, he just lies in the cell every day. It's said he's just a nobody, a petty thief. He was only locked in the Heavenly Prison because he offended a noble. As soon as he entered the Heavenly Prison, he was subjected to severe torture, and the wounds on his body have never healed."

Chen Guanlou blurted out everything he knew in one breath. He was afraid that if he were too slow, the other person would change their mind.

The swordsman was clearly very satisfied with his cooperative attitude, "Do you believe Prisoner Number Thirteen is really a nobody?"

Chen Guanlou was clearly stunned for a moment, then lowered his voice as if sharing a secret, and whispered, "During the day, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice said the same thing. Why would a mere nobody cause Jianghu ruffians to break into the Heavenly Prison to rescue him? But in the case files, Prisoner Number Thirteen really has nothing worth paying attention to."

"Find a way to find out the exact identity of Prisoner Number Thirteen."

"Me?" Chen Guanlou pointed at his own face, completely bewildered.

What virtue or ability does he have to be entrusted with such a heavy responsibility? They are overestimating him too much.

However, his life should be saved.

So, he grew bold and dared to ask, "Are you and that gang of ruffians not together, hero?"

"Too much talk!"

"The hero's lesson is right, I guarantee I won't ask in the future."

Damn it, one prison break, and two gangs of people came. Can he boldly speculate that the swordsman's mission was just to kill Duan Tianlin, and that the real target of those robbers was indeed Prisoner Number Thirteen, rather than just rescuing a random prisoner to create a diversion?

At first, he always thought Prisoner Number Thirteen was just a smoke bomb. A tool used by the prison-breaking ruffians to divert attention, so that the Six Shanmen would shift their investigation target to Prisoner Number Thirteen, making it easier for them to escape.

Now it seems he thought about things too simply.

The background of Prisoner Number Thirteen is definitely not simple!

Damn it, the key is that he has been on duty for months and has never really seen what Prisoner Number Thirteen looks like. He can roughly describe his height and build, but he has no idea about his facial features.

"However, hero, you also know my status; I am just a prison guard at the very bottom of the Heavenly Prison. Below me, only the handymen are lower than me. As for Prisoner Number Thirteen, up to now, I can be certain that no one has discovered anything peculiar about him."

"A person who has been subjected to severe torture, is covered in wounds, has no medicine, and whose wounds haven't healed for months, yet has never died—is that not peculiar enough?"

"This..."

It seems to make some sense.

"Does the hero mean that the martial arts Prisoner Number Thirteen practices are very peculiar?"

"Whether they are or not, you need to go and find clues. Once you have clues, send them directly to the gambling den. As long as you accomplish this matter, I guarantee your life will be worry-free."

"Many thanks, hero!"

Although he didn't believe the swordsman's promise, it didn't prevent him from expressing his thanks in the most sincere and moving tone.