Chapter 332: If Not You, Then Who?

"Lord Shen, what is the situation?"

Having returned directly from the Capital, Leng Hanye immediately walked up anxiously to inquire when he saw Shen Yu, whose expression was a mix of joy and sorrow.

To be honest, he still could not accept the result that Lord Chen Xing was dead, and he hoped to hear some good news from Shen Yu.

Perhaps this Lord Shen, who could turn decay into magic, might be able to save Lord Chen.

At this moment, Shen Yu was clearly in a mediocre mood and merely glanced at Leng Hanye.

As for the situation, Chen Xing was dead, and the Capital's Great Array had been activated. News from the Capital could be sent out, but the movement of personnel in and out had been completely severed; the situation seemed to have suddenly become uncontrollable.

"My Lord, is it true that Lord Chen has really..."

"Yes, Lord Chen Xing has died in battle!"

"This, this, alas!" Although he had been prepared, hearing the same news again still left Leng Hanye unable to stop his sorrow, and he sighed desolately.

Standing on the main street, the noisy crowd and the bustling marketplace could not hide his sorrowful mood.

"Make way, everyone make way!"

Just at this moment, a large group of Constables ran past at high speed. These people seemed nervous, each one on high alert, which broke the sorrowful atmosphere surrounding Leng Hanye.

Could it be that the Capture Gate had discovered the matter regarding the Leng Family? Since when had their efficiency been so high?

Yet, although a great change had occurred at the Leng Family, there had been basically no fierce fighting that leaked out; the outside world should have had no idea what happened at the Leng Family at all.

However, Leng Hanye soon discovered that these Constables were not rushing toward the Leng Family, but toward another place.

Soon, the Prefect in official robes arrived in a hurry. Not only had the people from the Capture Gate arrived, but the Prefect had also arrived, and there even seemed to be Black-Clad Guards faintly visible in the surroundings. What could have happened here to warrant such a great mobilization?

Out of curiosity, Shen Yu walked toward that side first, and Leng Hanye followed behind.

Shortly after, from the main gate of the Changwei Escort Agency, the Capture Gate personnel brought out a youth in shackles. At this moment, there was not a trace of sorrow on the youth's face; instead, he kept revealing a look of gratification.

This youth showed no fear, as if he had completely looked past Life and Death.

"What is going on?" Under Shen Yu's perception, there were basically no survivors inside the Changwei Escort Agency, with only a few people left who still had a breath of life.

It was nearly an entire extermination of the escort agency; this was a major case indeed.

"Who are you people?" When they saw Shen Yu and Leng Hanye approaching, these Constables immediately drew their blades and looked at the two of them with vigilance.

However, the Prefect behind them, Fan Zongchen, had sharp eyes. He might not have been very familiar with Shen Yu and couldn't place him for a moment, but he was familiar with Leng Hanye.

"So it is Second Master Leng! It has been two years since we last parted, hasn't it?" After greeting Leng Hanye, Fan Zongchen hurriedly said to the Constables behind him, "Sheathe your blades!"

"This is Second Master Leng, Lord Leng. You should have heard of him; Lord Leng is also a court official. Do not brandish weapons in his presence!"

They were both officials serving the same court, and the man was also a Prefect, clearly holding the same rank as himself. However, the man's life as an official was much happier, unlike himself, who felt stifled.

Thinking about his own life as a Prefect, the mere existence of the Leng Family standing here was enough to make him unable to breathe.

To put it bluntly, he was like a beggar kneeling and living at the mercy of others. If the Leng Family was dissatisfied with him, he would have to get out.

Setting aside the fact that the man was a Prefect just like him, the mere identity of being the Second Master of the Leng Family was enough to make him speak respectfully.

Look at the man; how carefree his life as a Prefect was. Even if he caused a huge incident, there would be people from the Leng Family to cover for him.

"Lord Fan, we meet again. This is Lord Shen Yu!"

"Lord, Lord Shen?" As soon as Leng Hanye spoke, it almost made him tremble.

Why would Shen Yu come here? He considered himself not a hero who stood up for the people with iron bones, but he hadn't done anything that violated his bottom line either. Could it be that he was going to face the blade for this? Surely not?

"Lord Fan, is it? No need to be afraid. What happened here?"

"Lord Shen, it is like this. A major incident occurred at the Changwei Escort Agency today. All one hundred and twenty-eight people in the Changwei Escort Agency were poisoned. Except for a few, no one survived. The one who did it is that youth!"

Pointing at the youth shackled by the Constables, Fan Zongchen wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. As long as it wasn't aimed at him, it was fine.

As for who died, it didn't matter, as long as it wasn't himself.

"A youth actually has such great killing intent?" Walking forward, the surrounding Constables gave way, standing to the side with respectful expressions.

Facing Shen Yu, not only was Fan Zongchen the Prefect afraid, but their own legs were also trembling.

"Did you kill the people inside?"

"I heard what you just said. You are Lord Shen Yu? I know you!"

Raising his head to look directly at Shen Yu, the youth's eyes remained as they were before, completely devoid of any fear, and even carried a hint of ease.

"That's right, I killed them!"

"Why did you kill them?"

"To take revenge!" As he spoke, the youth looked toward the direction of the Changwei Escort Agency and said in a low voice, "Because they all deserved to die!"

Turning his head back, the youth smiled lightly, and the smile seemed to carry a bit of the shyness that a youth should have.

"My father used to be an escort here, but later, because he encountered bandits while transporting goods, he was severely wounded in the fierce battle and both his arms were severed. He couldn't work and could no longer escort goods."

"But the Changwei Escort Agency not only didn't pay a single cent in compensation, but they even kicked my father out of the agency."

"My father had both arms severed and was severely wounded. He spent all our family's wealth to treat his injuries, and for the following years, our family could only go hungry."

As if remembering the past, a glint of resentment flashed in the youth's eyes; that hatred deeply pressed in his heart could not be erased.

"To survive, my mother could only constantly sew and wash for others. In the dead of winter, her hands were cracked, and even then, there were times our family couldn't eat."

"Father hoped I could become someone of talent and placed all his hopes on me, but when we couldn't even afford to eat, how could I practice Martial Arts, how could I strengthen my body!"

"Back then, my family was poor, and I was truly too hungry to bear it. So, one time on the street, I took advantage of someone not paying attention and stole buns from a bun shop."

"Back then, my father begged bitterly, cast aside his dignity to kneel before the other party, and handed over a manual of the Iron Arm Technique, which he regarded as a family heirloom, in exchange for two baskets of buns!"

"Hahaha!" Thinking of the helplessness of those years, the youth couldn't help but burst into loud laughter.

"A Martial Arts secret manual, actually only exchanged for two baskets of buns. How ironic!"

"That night, our family had the most sumptuous dinner in years: two baskets of buns."

"Father didn't know where he got a jar of wine and poured some for me too. Mother watched us, our whole family, smiling silently under the dim moonlight. I will never forget Mother's smile at that time."

"That was the first time I drank alcohol. I got drunk, and Mother patted me gently, telling me bedtime stories in a soft voice, coaxing me to sleep."

"But in the middle of the night, I felt intense pain all over my body. That was the pain of the poison erupting and burning my internal organs. That moment of pain is something I will never be able to forget in this life."

"That night, Father died, and Mother died too; only I, with my special constitution, survived. The poison was administered by Father, because our dignity had already been trampled into nothingness by poverty, and because Father's dreams had shattered."

"And all of this is because of them; my home is gone, everything is gone!"

"Lord Shen, you tell me, do they deserve to die, and you tell me, should I have done these things!"