Chapter 502: Imprisonment

Outside the temporary prison cell, Lin Chao glanced at the old woman.

A cold wind blew, and he also felt a chill.

He suddenly asked, "Does the Venerable of Light truly exist?"

The old woman lay on the ground, her gaze dim: "He is everywhere."

"Since that is the case, as a believer of God, why does He not protect you?"

"I am merely a servant of God, believing in the light; why would God protect me?" the old woman said as if it were a matter of course.

Lin Chao was silent and did not argue further with the old woman.

The next day, before dawn had broken.

In the camp, a burst of noise suddenly erupted.

Lin Chao stood guard outside the prison cell, a look of confusion in his eyes.

He did not know what had happened.

The disturbance lasted only a moment before it became quiet again.

Lin Chao continued to guard the prison cell, some snowflakes piling up on his shoulders, which he brushed off.

Just then, a squad of soldiers arrived at the prison area, and the leader among them was the very one who had warned Lin Chao to be careful the night before.

That man saw Lin Chao, and a look of surprise flashed in his eyes.

"I have come to take the prisoner," the man said.

"Understood," Lin Chao did not stop him.

At this moment, Lin Chao lowered his voice and asked, "Brother, there was a commotion in the camp just now; do you know what happened?"

Upon hearing this, the man's gaze became even more complex: "Zhuge Liu, the leader of your Qingxu Sect this time, has met with trouble."

"Ah?" Lin Chao was stunned.

"He suddenly became paralyzed in bed and has remained in a deep sleep, unable to wake; it seems... he has been cursed," he said, while also looking at the old woman in the cage.

Clearly, this soldier believed that the reason Zhuge Liu had become this way was related to this old woman.

Lin Chao was silent; he had not expected such a thing to happen either.

He hadn't even started his move yet, and Zhuge Liu was about to kick the bucket?

Just then, those few soldiers also opened the prison door.

Suddenly, a voice came from inside.

"Oh no, this crazy woman is dead!"

"What?" Lin Chao was slightly stunned upon hearing this.

He had not expected that this old woman would die inside.

Just a moment ago, wasn't she perfectly fine?

A quarter of an hour later.

The County Commandant arrived outside the prison cell; he scanned the surroundings, his gaze like a knife falling upon Lin Chao: "Did anyone else enter last night?"

"No, I have been guarding outside the door the whole time," Lin Chao replied.

"Did she have any unusual behavior last night?" the County Commandant continued to ask.

His complexion was very poor.

Clearly, he had wanted to capture her alive and then present her to the Prefect.

Now, this person had actually died.

"She was raving and ranting all night, wanting me to believe in some god," Lin Chao spoke, answering truthfully.

"Is that so?" the County Commandant mused, then his gaze became deep: "Before the truth comes to light, as the guard, since she died inside, you also bear responsibility."

Immediately, several men came to take Lin Chao, binding his hands with rope.

Seeing this, Lin Chao did not resist.

This was all part of the procedure.

Generally speaking, he would be fine.

Because the old woman's death had nothing to do with him in the first place.

On the way back, Lin Chao's hands were bound, making it particularly inconvenient to walk.

However, Lin Chao did not mind.

With his hands bound and being under guard, it was easier for him to pull some tricks.

The long procession hurried toward the county town.

There were a few disciples of the Qingxu Sect carrying a stretcher, upon which lay Zhuge Liu.

Suddenly, one disciple's foot slipped.

The stretcher fell to the ground.

Zhuge Liu, who was on the stretcher, instantly rolled into the mountain ravine.

"Master!"

The disciples carrying the stretcher were Zhuge Liu's disciples, and they hurriedly ran down.

The procession also slowed its pace due to this accident.

But in the end, Zhuge Liu was carried back, yet there was a large wound on his forehead, bloody and raw.

His entire body was frozen stiff.

In an era like this, it would likely be difficult to save him.

Lin Chao watched all this, his gaze calm.

After Zhuge Liu was rescued and brought back, the County Commandant personally came to take a look, then shook his head and left.

The group hurried toward Luo Ma County.

……

Inside the prison, Lin Chao closed his eyes to rest his mind, applying his attribute points to his Literary Arts.

The aura on his body underwent a change.

In that instant, Lin Chao stepped into the Golden Core realm.

"Finally, Golden Core."

Lin Chao felt carefully and discovered that he seemed to have no changes.

If one had to speak of changes, perhaps his body was healthier and he would live longer.

However, even so, Lin Chao felt that the lifespan of this body would not exceed a hundred years.

"Could it be that the cultivation of Literary Arts does not produce a qualitative change?"

"Or is it that only by borrowing a Dao Soldier and becoming a Dao Soldier User can Literary Arts have any combat power?"

Lin Chao had not yet seen a Dao Soldier.

He knew that the Qingxu Sect possessed one Dao Soldier, controlled by the Sect Master.

And the Sect Master was also, without a doubt, the strongest person in the Qingxu Sect.

"Time to eat."

The jailer handed the food to Lin Chao.

The food was very simple: a piece of blackened and somewhat rock-hard flatbread, and a bowl of soup, though there was not a drop of oil in the soup.

Lin Chao looked at the jailer and couldn't help but ask: "Brother, do you know how much longer I have to be locked up?"

Lin Chao was not an Ordinary prisoner; he was just temporarily staying in the jail, and the jailers here all knew Lin Chao.

This jailer shook his head: "Who knows? Just wait with peace of mind."

Lin Chao felt very helpless regarding the administrative efficiency of the government in this world.

"Many thanks, brother," Lin Chao said politely.

If he were an Ordinary person, being locked up here, it would be very likely that he would be forgotten by others.

But fortunately, he was a disciple of the Qingxu Sect and still had a master, so he would not disappear without a trace for no reason.

"It seems I still have to wait for a while." Lin Chao stuffed the cold flatbread into his mouth and chewed hard.

Meanwhile, at the county government office.

Seventh Elder Jiang Boye had a look of dissatisfaction on his old face: "County Commandant, when will my disciple be able to leave?

He was only keeping watch to prevent the criminal from escaping.

The criminal suddenly died of a sudden illness, which has nothing to do with him.

Keeping him locked up until now is going a bit too far."

Upon hearing this, the County Commandant said helplessly: "I cannot make the decision on this matter. I must wait for the people from the prefecture to question Xia Yang and confirm that Xia Yang is innocent before I can release Xia Yang."

Hearing this, Jiang Boye was even more furious: "Those two have arrived in Luo Ma County for so many days, have they gone to see my disciple?

Do you think I, Jiang Boye, am easy to bully?"

Hearing this, the County Commandant hurriedly apologized with a smile: "Seventh Elder, I will go urge them now."

The County Commandant was actually quite wary of Jiang Boye.

Seventh Elder Jiang Boye only then breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this.

……

"Senior Sister, don't look at Luo Ma County as being small; the rouge here is unique and ranks among the best in the entire prefecture." Li Hejun held a box of rouge in his hands, a fawning look on his face.

The woman in yellow looked at the rouge: "Average."

Li Hejun hurriedly said: "How about I take you to try another shop?"

The woman in yellow looked at Li Hejun's sycophantic smile, a look of disdain flashing in her eyes.

If it weren't for the fact that Li Hejun had a good father, she wouldn't even bother with him.

However, Li Hejun's attentiveness and fawning were very much to her liking.

They had already been in Luo Ma County for several days.

During these days, the woman in yellow and Li Hejun had been sightseeing, aside from meeting the County Commandant at the very beginning to understand the basic situation.

In front of a rouge shop, the County Commandant walked up to the two of them.

"Young Master, Miss, the Qingxu Sect disciple who was guarding that witch is still locked in the jail. Would the two of you like to take some time to interrogate him?

After all, that person was also innocently implicated; once interrogated, he can be released," the County Commandant said.

Hearing this, Li Hejun was about to nod.

Suddenly, he heard the cold voice of the woman in yellow: "Whether he is innocent or not, what does that have to do with me?"

In her words, she was simply too lazy to go see Lin Chao now.

Upon hearing this, the County Commandant's face turned livid.

He was, after all, an official.

And he was a County Commandant at that.

The woman before him was indeed a student of the Academy.

But so what?

The County Commandant was certain that ninety percent of the students in the Academy would not have a better future than him.

This woman was clearly not among the remaining ten percent.

At this moment, Li Hejun hurriedly said: "Xiaoya, don't be angry."

This scene left the County Commandant speechless.

Li Hejun was the Prefect's son, yet he was acting so obsequious; it was truly a pity.

"Xiaoya, why don't we go take a look?

We can just resolve those annoying matters, and then I can take you for a proper stroll around Luo Ma County," Li Hejun urged, acting every bit the simp.

The woman in the yellow shirt finally nodded reluctantly: "I'll give you some face."

Hearing this, the County Commandant was speechless inside.

Wasn't this matter something you were supposed to do in the first place?

Now that you're doing it, it's become a favor to someone else?

However, he did not say these words out loud.

After all, he still had to give Li Hejun some face.

As for that woman in the yellow shirt?

Back at the academy, he might have shown her some consideration due to her status as a student.

But outside the academy, she was worth nothing.

Along the way, the woman in the yellow shirt's expression was not very good, and Li Hejun followed her the whole way, constantly comforting her: "Xiaoya, don't be angry anymore; it's not worth getting angry over such things."

Hearing Li Hejun's words, the woman in the yellow shirt became even more furious: "People from small places really have no vision; a tiny County Commandant, acting so stuck-up!"

Hearing this, Li Hejun was somewhat silent.

The official position of County Commandant was not small; he was in charge of all military affairs in the county.

Moreover, this County Commandant's background was not ordinary either.

However, he did not say these words to the woman in the yellow shirt.

He echoed: "Xiaoya, don't lower yourself to the level of such people."

The woman in the yellow shirt remained indignant, feeling that the man before her was a spineless coward.

With such a powerful father, yet she had followed him here only to be treated with contempt.

Carrying her dissatisfaction, the woman in the yellow shirt entered the prison.

Standing in the dim and damp prison, smelling the foul odor, the dissatisfaction in the woman in the yellow shirt's eyes grew even deeper: "This County Commandant is doing this on purpose; why interrogate someone in such a dump? Couldn't he have changed to a different place?"

Li Hejun hurriedly echoed: "I think so too."

The more the woman in the yellow shirt looked at Li Hejun, the more she felt he was useless.

At this moment, the woman in the yellow shirt finally saw Lin Chao, and a trace of disgust flashed in her eyes: "That night you were guarding that witch, did anything else happen?"

Lin Chao told the woman in the yellow shirt the same answer he had given the County Commandant.

Beside him, Li Hejun said: "Just as he told the County Commandant, he should be an innocent person caught up in this."

Hearing this, the woman in the yellow shirt was immediately displeased.

Because she was in a bad mood, she urgently needed to vent, and Lin Chao, who was being interrogated, was a good target.

"Since he was responsible for guarding the witch, he has a responsibility.

Perhaps he is also a member of the Great Brightness Sect, and seeing the witch captured, he killed her to silence her!" the woman in the yellow shirt blurted out.

Spreading rumors was what she was best at.

Hearing this, Li Hejun also revealed a thoughtful expression: "What Xiaoya says makes sense."

The woman in the yellow shirt looked at Lin Chao: "Speak the truth quickly."

Lin Chao felt it was inexplicable, a disaster from out of the blue.

It could even be said that this hostility was somewhat forced.

But thinking about it, in this world, this was normal.

The big shots were high and mighty.

In their eyes, the little people at the bottom were nothing more than expendable material.

In some countries, the upper-class figures would still put on a show for the sake of stability, proposing a few sets of bright and righteous principles.

And in other countries, they didn't even bother to pretend.

What did the life or death of a little person matter?

If you are dissatisfied, reality will teach you who is the master and who is the servant.

"The old woman's death has nothing to do with me," Lin Chao replied.

Hearing this, the woman in the yellow shirt immediately drew her sword and thrust it toward Lin Chao, seemingly venting the indignation in her heart.

The woman in the yellow shirt was clearly also a martial artist, and a Seventh Grade one at that, with some combat skills.

However, with a light sound, the sword in the woman in the yellow shirt's hand was flicked away by Lin Chao.

And Lin Chao did not hold back anymore; he kicked toward the woman in the yellow shirt.

He already had killing intent in his heart.

As a Sixth Rank Martial Artist, Lin Chao's strength far exceeded that of the woman in the yellow shirt.

Even with shackles on his hands and feet, dealing with the woman in the yellow shirt was easy.

Bang!

Lin Chao's foot was blocked by Li Hejun's foot.

The two separated upon contact; Li Hejun's leg felt somewhat numb, and a trace of surprise appeared on his face: "A Sixth Rank Martial Artist?"

Lin Chao was also slightly surprised.

The martial arts realm of the man before him was higher than his own.

Moreover, he also felt that the opponent did not seem to be an Ordinary martial artist.

The two touched and separated, yet both vaguely sensed the other's strength and difficulty, and did not fight again.

Beside them, the woman in the yellow shirt was stunned, then flew into a rage and said, "Li Hejun, kill him!"

When had she ever suffered such grievances?

Li Hejun hurriedly embraced the woman in the yellow shirt: "Xiaoya, don't be impulsive, he is no ordinary person."

Lin Chao took a deep look at Li Hejun, a trace of wariness in his eyes.

Being held, the woman in the yellow shirt became even angrier, making a huge scene.

Lin Chao watched this scene, quite calm.

But soon, the noise from the woman in the yellow shirt vanished.

She had fainted in Li Hejun's arms.

Li Hejun held the woman in the yellow shirt, his eyes full of pity and infatuation.

Then, he looked at Lin Chao: "You are called Xia Yang, and you are from the Qingxu Sect?"

Lin Chao nodded.

He felt that the man before him was no ordinary person.

"Xiaoya is mine, no one can hurt her!" He looked at Lin Chao, his eyes full of threats, "I will wait for you at the Academy, you may go."

The key was tossed from Li Hejun's hand and landed in Lin Chao's hand.

Hearing this, Lin Chao did not hesitate further; he opened the shackles and left directly.

Li Hejun took a deep look at Lin Chao, his eyes carrying a thick look of wariness.

"Clearly he is only a Sixth Grade, why does my intuition tell me that if I fought him to the death, I would be the one to die?" Li Hejun muttered.

But soon, his gaze fell upon the sleeping woman in the yellow shirt.

His eyes revealed a pathological possessiveness.

He embraced the woman in the yellow shirt from behind, his hand reaching into her clothes; his eyes were frantic, his movements rough.

"Xiaoya is so sweet."

Meanwhile, Lin Chao had also walked out of the prison cell, seeing the light of day once more.

(End of this chapter)