Chapter 129: Hooked

Jiang Xiaomu was also somewhat doubtful, but he still insisted:

"Wait a bit longer; maybe they're just waiting for the right moment."

Another incense stick's time passed, yet there was still no movement.

Li Wenqing waved his hand helplessly and said:

"Forget it, let's withdraw."

"Let the brothers go back to rest, and strengthen patrols during the day to prevent the Five Absolutes Sect from acting desperately."

The constables, as if granted a pardon, scattered in all directions.

Jiang Xiaomu furrowed his brows, silently thinking:

Could I have been wrong? Have the Five Absolutes Sect really given up on Lao Lang?

"Mr. Jiang, why don't you go rest as well?"

Li Wenqing advised.

Jiang Xiaomu shook his head and said:

"I'll wait a bit longer."

Li Wenqing stopped urging and turned to leave.

Jiang Xiaomu sat alone under the canopy, eyes closed in contemplation.

At noon, the Xian Ya prison.

Lao Lang was locked in a solitary cell, boredly lying on the floor dozing.

Suddenly, footsteps sounded outside the cell.

Lao Lang lifted his head and saw a man in constable's attire walking over.

"Who are you?"

Lao Lang asked warily.

"I've been ordered to interrogate you."

The man said expressionlessly.

Lao Lang felt doubtful.

Since he was brought in, aside from Li Wenqing and Jiang Xiaomu, no one else had interrogated him.

He had never seen this constable before.

"Which squad are you from? I've never seen you."

Lao Lang pressed further.

The man was somewhat impatient.

"Cut the nonsense, follow me!"

Saying that, he opened the cell door and led Lao Lang out.

As he walked, Lao Lang covertly observed the constable.

He felt something was off, but couldn't pinpoint what.

Upon reaching a secluded corner, the man suddenly stopped.

"You..."

Just as Lao Lang was about to speak, the man suddenly turned, removed his hat, and revealed a cold, sinister smile.

"Lao Wu?"

Lao Lang's eyes widened in disbelief.

The comer was indeed Lao Wu of the Five Absolutes Sect, wearing a strange smile.

"Third Brother, long time no see."

Lao Lang was both startled and delighted.

"Lao Wu, how did you come? Where's Lao Da?"

Lao Wu gave a hehe laugh.

"Lao Da sent me to rescue you."

Lao Lang was overjoyed.

"Great! I knew Lao Da wouldn't abandon me!"

Lao Wu produced a key from his bosom and unlocked Lao Lang's shackles.

"Come on, let's leave this place first."

Lao Wu said.

Lao Lang nodded and followed Lao Wu outward.

They had taken just a few steps when suddenly several figures appeared ahead.

"Who goes there?"

Lao Wu asked warily.

"Heh heh, old friends meeting—have you forgotten me so soon?"

A cold, sinister voice came.

Lao Wu and Lao Lang looked closely and saw Jiang Xiaomu and Li Wenqing leading a few constables, blocking their path.

Lao Lang's face changed dramatically.

"Jiang Xiaomu! How are you here?"

Jiang Xiaomu gave a cold snort.

"Why can't I be here? I've been waiting for you a long time."

"You already knew we would come?"

Lao Wu's face darkened as he asked.

Jiang Xiaomu nodded.

"Not bad, from the very beginning I knew you would definitely come to save Lao Lang."

Lao Wu said through gritted teeth:

"Did you deliberately set a trap to lure us in?"

Jiang Xiaomu curled the corner of his mouth, revealing a contemptuous smile.

"Setting a trap? You think too highly of yourself."

"I merely used a little trick, and you lot of fools walked right into the net."

Lao Wu's face turned livid, and he glared fiercely at Jiang Xiaomu.

He had fallen for the scheme, but now that it had come to this, saying anything was too late.

He violently tore off the constable's uniform he was wearing, revealing the strong muscles underneath.

At the same time, a heavy iron chain slipped from his waist, which he grasped and waved with mighty force.

"If that's the case, then don't blame me for being impolite!"

Lao Wu roared, the iron chain whistling through the air as he smashed it toward Jiang Xiaomu.

Jiang Xiaomu had been prepared; he sidestepped and dodged Lao Wu's attack.

At the same time, several constables swarmed forward, surrounding Lao Wu on all sides.

A fierce battle erupted instantly.

Although Lao Wu was brave, being outnumbered, he quickly fell into a disadvantage.

He struggled to parry, and new wounds kept appearing on his body.

Yet he continued to fight to the death, his eyes filled with mad killing intent.

"Third Brother, run! I'll hold them off!"

Lao Wu hoarsely shouted.

"Lao Wu..."

Lao Lang's eyes flickered with hesitation, but he ultimately gritted his teeth and turned to run.

Just then, an abrupt change occurred.

A dagger, like a snake's tongue, silently stabbed into Lao Wu's back.

Lao Wu's movements froze; he stared in disbelief at the dagger protruding from his chest, blood streaming down the blade and staining his garments.

He slowly turned around, his eyes full of shock.

Standing behind him was none other than Lao Lang, whom he had risked his life to save.

Lao Lang wore a strange smile as he slowly peeled off the human skin mask on his face, revealing an unfamiliar visage.

"You... are Pei Dongyong?!"

Lao Wu struggled to utter a few words, his eyes full of incredulity.

Pei Dongyong, the Constable Captain of the Xian Ya.

"Lao Wu, you didn't expect this, did you?"

Pei Dongyong gave a cold laugh, pressing harder with his hand and pushing the dagger a bit deeper.

Lao Wu let out a pained groan and slowly collapsed.

Even in death he could not understand why Lao Lang had become Pei Dongyong, or why he would die at the hands of his own comrades.

"The real Lao Lang died last night."

Jiang Xiaomu walked up to Pei Dongyong and said calmly:

"His injuries were too severe; he couldn't survive the night."

Pei Dongyong nodded.

"Thanks to Mr. Jiang's clever scheme, I was able to pose as Lao Lang and lure Lao Wu out."

Jiang Xiaomu smiled and said nothing.

The reason for openly setting up an ambush at night was to create an illusion, making the Five Absolutes Sect believe they had let their guard down.

In fact, he had long anticipated that the Five Absolutes Sect would come to raid the prison.

Therefore, he had arranged beforehand for Pei Dongyong to impersonate Lao Lang, waiting for their arrival.

Looking at Lao Wu's corpse, Jiang Xiaomu felt no disturbance.

To him, Lao Wu was merely an insignificant minor character; his life or death mattered not.

What he truly cared about was how to use this opportunity to completely eradicate the Five Absolutes Sect.

"Next, it's the turn of the Five Absolutes Sect's chief."

Jiang Xiaomu's eyes flashed with a cold glint as he spoke in an icy tone.

Outside the ruined temple, the night wind wailed, stirring the scattered fallen leaves on the ground.

A man stood motionless at the temple's doorway, his gaze fixed on the dark brown bloodstains inside.

This was where Lao Lang had been captured.

"Chief..."

A rough voice came from behind him.

The man did not turn around; he knew it was Lao Er who had arrived.