Chapter 31: What a Fool!

"The Flying Immortal Sword Art is truly so powerful it has no equal!"

Although he hadn't obtained the information he wanted from the secretary, the rewards from his sign-in were bountiful. Shen Yu himself hadn't expected that a secretary could yield such good things.

What is this? This is character!

In his excitement, Shen Yu practiced sword techniques in the woods all night long, not feeling the slightest bit tired, and only realized it when the sky began to brighten, at which point he hurried back to Baian County.

After returning, Shen Yu did not go back to the County Government Office, but went straight to the jail, where Zhou Yuan had been watching Sun Heling without sleep or rest, terrified that someone might have him silenced, to the point where he was almost developing dark circles under his eyes.

Throughout the day, not only did he have to keep a constant watch, but he even had to test his food for poison first; with treatment like this, he was clearly not a prisoner, but a master.

However, the Prefect's secretary had been watched by Shen Yu ever since he left, and during that time, he had indeed sent a few people to try and return, but they had been dealt with by him early on. So, Zhou Yuan's efforts all day were in vain, because no one was going to come at all.

"My Lord!" Upon seeing Shen Yu, Zhou Yuan finally set his heart at ease. Unknowingly, he had come to regard Shen Yu as his backbone.

"My Lord, throughout this day, Sun Heling hasn't said a word. How about I personally apply torture? I guarantee I can make him talk!"

"No rush. While torture is useful, who knows how much of what he says is true or false? Besides, there are some things he might be determined to hide that we wouldn't know about. Later, just follow my arrangements!"

Not long after Shen Yu arrived, a prisoner was locked into Sun Heling's cell. Originally, Sun Heling was being held in solitary confinement, and having been generous with his silver, his treatment here was not low.

But now, a burly man had suddenly entered; not only did the single room become a double, but the moment this burly man arrived, he kicked Sun Heling off the bed and lay down on it himself.

Thinking that he, Sun Heling, was a man of status and reputation, he never expected such a rude brute who gave him no face at all to enter, and it infuriated him to no end.

"Do you know who I am? I am Sun Heling, the number one gentleman of our Baian County! You dare treat me like this? Do you not want to live?"

"Sun Heling? Pfft, so what? I heard you committed a capital crime, so don't put on airs with me! Besides, I'm a death row inmate anyway, so why would I be afraid of you? If you're not convinced, we can spar!"

Casting a look of disdain at him, the burly man didn't even intend to move his body, instead ignoring everything and claiming all of Sun Heling's belongings as his own.

"You, you, you brute!" Comparing the other's physique to his own small frame, a wise man does not fight when the odds are against him; besides, the man before him was a death row inmate, so Sun Heling decisively chose to yield, hiding in a corner and sulking.

"Time to eat!" Just then, the jailer opened the door and brought in good wine and food. Sun Heling was quite sensible and fished out some valuables from his person to hand over.

"Sigh!" Looking at the table full of food, Sun Heling sighed slightly. When did he, a man who could walk sideways in Baian County, need to bribe jailers for special treatment and be bullied by a nobody? It was stifling!

Moreover, he didn't have many things on him, and he estimated he couldn't last many more days. He wondered if these jailers would still give him special treatment by then. Damn it, don't let me get out, or I'll make you pay sooner or later!

"Oh, how sumptuous! Great, I haven't eaten such good things before!" Pushing aside the angry Sun Heling, the burly man on the bed smelled the aroma and came over, not treating himself as an outsider at all, tearing off a chicken leg and stuffing it into his mouth.

"That's mine! These things are all mine!"

"Yours? Call out to them and see if they answer you!" Stuffing the food into his mouth in large bites, the burly man ate until his mouth was oily, while continuously mocking the other.

This was only because Sun Heling was in good health; had there been anything wrong with him, he would likely have been gasping for air from anger by now.

"Ugh, this, these dishes..." Suddenly, a painful groan sounded from the man's mouth, and he collapsed to the ground.

When Sun Heling looked over, he saw the man foaming at the mouth, his expression ferocious as he struggled desperately on the ground, his hands flailing wildly, but after a moment, he became motionless and silent.

"This, this... they're silencing him!" In an instant, this was the only thought that surfaced in Sun Heling's mind. He knew that this food was actually meant for him; if it hadn't been snatched away, the one lying on the ground would likely have been him.

At this moment, Sun Heling's face turned pale, his forehead covered in cold sweat, and he immediately began to shout, "Someone, come quickly, help!"

"My Lord, My Lord, help, someone is trying to kill me!!"

Sun Heling's cries for help quickly drew the attention of the jailers, and Zhou Yuan also rushed over. Upon seeing the person lying in the cell, everyone's expression changed.

"Dead!" Stepping forward to examine the body, Zhou Yuan shook his head with an ugly expression, "Poisoned to death, just like Cai Zhong's family before!"

"Cai Zhong, the County Assistant?" Regarding Cai Zhong's affair, Sun Heling had heard rumors; it was said that after his whole family was thrown into jail, they were all poisoned, not a single one left—it was miserable!

"Yes, the former County Assistant!"

While ordering people to carry the body away, Zhou Yuan said nonchalantly, "Think about when Cai Zhong was County Assistant; how glorious he was. But in the end, his whole family fell right here—yes, in the very cell you are in now. Dozens of people in one family! Sigh..."

"Hiss!" Hearing Zhou Yuan say this, Sun Heling suddenly felt a chill, carefully looking around and unable to help but wrap his body tighter.

"Perhaps Cai Zhong held some dirt on someone, so he was silenced. If he didn't die, others would have to. So, Cai Zhong had no choice but to die!" As he spoke, Zhou Yuan shook his head, then picked up the wine and food from the table and prepared to walk out.

"This, this..." Although he felt this was being said for his benefit, Sun Heling was truly terrified. He had long since witnessed the cruelty of the Prefect, and he didn't feel for a second that Zhou Yuan was trying to scare him!

"Chief Constable Zhou, wait, don't go yet. I'll talk, I'll tell you everything you want to know. But can you let me leave this place first? And please, protect my family!"

"You want to talk? But I don't seem to have anything to ask!"

"You! Wait!" Seeing that Zhou Yuan seemed to have no interest at all, Sun Heling grew anxious and shouted almost at the top of his lungs, "Chief Constable Zhou, please speak to the County Magistrate for me! Tell him I am willing to cooperate; as long as he can protect me and my family, I will do anything!"

"This... alright then. The County Magistrate said before that as long as you are willing to cooperate, he will ensure your safety! In that case, I will personally take you to a safe place. Follow me!"

"Thank you, Chief Constable, thank you, County Magistrate!" While expressing his gratitude, Sun Heling carefully followed behind Zhou Yuan, terrified that someone might suddenly pop out to assassinate him. Now, he felt danger everywhere he looked.

"What a fool!" The moment Zhou Yuan led the man away, the prisoner who had been carried out after falling from poison stood up, wiped the foam from the corner of his mouth, and looked at Shen Yu, who was standing quietly by his side, a look of excitement on his face.

"My Lord, did I act well?"

"Not bad!" Taking a few pieces of broken silver from his robes, Shen Yu tossed them over, "This is your reward!"

"Thank you, My Lord! If there are jobs like this in the future, just leave them to me, I guarantee you'll be satisfied!"