Chapter 128

He pressed on, asking, "What else did he do?"

"He..." Jiang Xiaoyu hesitated a moment.

"He also asked me how to get to the Jin Zhuangyuan Jiulou."

Jin Zhuangyuan Jiulou!

Jiang Xiaomu's heart sank; it seemed this man was indeed connected to Jin Buhuan.

He suppressed his unease, ruffled his sister's head, and said softly:

"Xiaoyu, you're impressive, observing so carefully."

"From now on, if you see such a strange person, stay far away, understand?"

"Mm, I got it, bro."

Jiang Xiaoyu obediently nodded.

Jiang Xiaomu ate his dinner with a heavy heart; his sister Jiang Xiaoyu's chatter sounded to him as if muffled by a membrane.

Jin Zhuangyuan Jiulou, the black-clad person...

These clues swirled in his mind, weaving into a tangled net that made him uneasy.

"Bro, what's wrong? Is the food not to your taste?"

Seeing her brother absentminded, Jiang Xiaoyu asked with concern.

Jiang Xiaomu snapped back to reality and forced a smile.

"No, the food is great. I'm just thinking about something."

"Bro, are you in trouble?"

Jiang Xiaoyu, thoughtful, saw through her brother's forced cheer at a glance.

At that moment, Xiong Kuohai ran in.

"Boss, boss, good news."

At the same time, inside the county office, Li Wenqing paced back and forth anxiously.

After Jiang Xiaomu warned him about the problem at Jin Zhuangyuan Jiulou, he had sent people to secretly watch, but they had found nothing unusual.

"Sir, Constable Pei has returned!"

A bailiff rushed in to report.

"Let him in quickly!"

Li Wenqing hurriedly said.

Pei Dongyong strode into the county office, his face lit with excitement.

"Sir, we've found a suspicious person!"

"What kind of person?"

Li Wenqing urgently asked.

"A one-eyed man, sneaking around near the ruined temple on North Street."

Pei Dongyong replied:

"Your subordinate suspects he is the person we're looking for."

Li Wenqing's heart leapt, and he quickly pressed:

"Where is he? Did you bring him back?"

"No, your subordinate feared startling the snake, so I came back first to report to you, sir."

Pei Dongyong explained.

Li Wenqing pondered a moment, then said:

"Alright, take men and seize him at once—remember, you must capture him alive!"

"Yes, sir!"

Pei Dongyong received the order and departed.

The ruined temple on North Street was dilapidated, with wind blowing through everywhere.

Inside the temple, a one-eyed man sat cross-legged, eyes closed, cultivating his spirit.

He was none other than Lao Lang, the third elder of the Five Absolutes Sect.

Suddenly, a clamor arose outside the temple; Lao Lang's eyes snapped open, a cold glint flashing within.

He rose and walked to the door, only to see the temple exterior already surrounded by bailiffs.

"Hmph! Looks like we've been exposed."

Lao Lang gave a cold snort, his steel claws spinning in his hand as he prepared to break out.

"Those inside, hear this: you're surrounded—come out and surrender at once!"

Pei Dongyong stood at the temple gate and shouted loudly.

Lao Lang ignored him, instead bursting out of the ruined temple, swinging his steel claws at the bailiffs.

"Charge!"

At Pei Dongyong's command, the bailiffs drew their swords and engaged.

Lao Lang's steel claws were razor‑sharp, his moves vicious.

After a few exchanges, several bailiffs lay in pools of blood.

"Everyone, get out of the way!"

Seeing this, Pei Dongyong bellowed, drew his side blade, and joined the fray.

Pei Dongyong's swordsmanship was superb; he and Lao Lang traded blows, the fight indecisive.

Although Lao Lang was highly skilled, he was outnumbered and, having already expended much stamina, gradually fell to the disadvantage.

"Damn!"

Lao Lang cursed under his breath, knowing he was likely in more danger than fortune today.

Pei Dongyong seized an opening in Lao Lang's defense and slashed his shoulder.

Lao Lang cried out in agony, and his steel claws dropped to the ground.

"Seize him!"

At Pei Dongyong's order, several constables rushed forward and tightly bound Lao Lang.

Lao Lang was escorted back to the Xian Ya, and Li Wenqing immediately began interrogating him.

"Speak, who are you? Why did you kill Assistant Official Zhang's family?"

Li Wenqing demanded sternly.

Lao Lang snorted coldly, saying nothing.

"If you won't speak, don't blame me for being ruthless!"

Li Wenqing angrily said:

"Guards, apply torture!"

Two constables stepped forward, pressed Lao Lang to the ground, and prepared to torture him.

"Wait!"

Just then, Jiang Xiaomu's voice came from outside the door.

Everyone turned to see Jiang Xiaomu striding into the Xian Ya, with Jiang Xiaoyu following curiously behind him.

"Mr. Jiang, how did you come here?"

Li Wenqing asked, somewhat surprised.

"I heard they caught a suspicious person, so I came to have a look."

Jiang Xiaomu gave a faint smile, his gaze falling on Lao Lang.

His gaze lingered on the steel claws for a moment, and he thought to himself:

"Sure enough, it's the Five Absolutes Sect!"

He turned to Li Wenqing, cupped his fists, and said:

"Sir, this person wields deadly weapons, his moves are vicious, and there's an eighty to ninety percent chance he's a member of the Five Absolutes Sect."

Li Wenqing frowned, his voice low.

"What Mr. Jiang says is absolutely correct, but this bastard is tight-lipped and refuses to confess."

Jiang Xiaomu tossed the steel claws to Li Wenqing.

"Sir Li, rather than torture him for a confession, it's better to set a long line to catch a big fish."

"Since this Lao Lang is a member of the Five Absolutes Sect, his accomplices will surely come to rescue him."

"We might as well treat this Lao Lang well, giving him good food and drink, and arrange a 'comfortable' single room for him."

"Set up a net of heaven and earth, and wait for those remnants to walk into it."

Li Wenqing frowned, pondered for a moment, then slammed the table.

"Good! Let's do as Mr. Jiang says!"

"Guards, first treat his wounds, then put him in solitary confinement!"

"Constable Captain Pei, personally lead the men to set the trap, ensuring no mistake!"

"Yes!"

Pei Dongyong received the order and departed.

In the temporary shed behind the Xian Ya, Li Wenqing rubbed his sore shoulders, looking weary.

"Mr. Jiang, it's been all night—why haven't the remnants of the Five Absolutes Sect shown any movement?"

Jiang Xiaomu sat cross-legged on the grass mat, closing his eyes to rest; hearing this, he opened his eyes and gave a faint smile, saying:

"Don't rush, the fish will eventually bite the hook."

Pei Dongyong yawned, his eyelids barely able to stay open.

"Mr. Jiang, I feel that the Five Absolutes Sect people may not come to break him out of prison."

"What if they think Lao Lang has been exposed and give up?"

Jiang Xiaomu shook his head and said:

"No, the Five Absolutes Sect always values brotherhood and would never easily abandon any brother."

"Moreover, Lao Lang knows many of the Five Absolutes Sect's secrets, making it even less likely they'd leave him be."

Li Wenqing sighed.

"I hope so, but the brothers have all stayed up all night."

"If this continues, we might not be able to hold out."

Jiang Xiaomu looked at the sky; the eastern horizon already showed a fish-belly white.

"Let's wait a bit longer; if it's still quiet at dawn, let the brothers go rest first."

Time passed second by second, the sky grew brighter, yet the remnants of the Five Absolutes Sect still did not appear.

Li Wenqing finally couldn't hold back.

"Mr. Jiang, it looks like we've wasted a night's effort."

"The Five Absolutes Sect people probably won't come."