Chapter 71: Silver Badge Constable

"You're talking nonsense! We're only doing this to save more people!"

Even after being fiercely rebuked by Shen Yu, the young woman still gritted her teeth and persisted; this was her final consolation. By watching one group of people suffer in order to save more, she could accept it herself.

If she truly admitted it, wouldn't her persistence become a joke? What would their efforts during this time even count for?

No, the one who must be wrong is this County Magistrate; how could the decisions of their Capture Gate be wrong? Nothing is more important than tracking down the person behind the scenes!

"Do you know how much we've sacrificed during this time! To track down the person behind the scenes, so many of us in the Capture Gate have spent so much heart and blood, and now it's all been ruined by you. If the case cannot be solved, can you take responsibility for it?"

"Have you seen those harmed by the Fen Shui Gang? Do you know how pitiful they are?" Hearing this, Shen Yu let out a cold, unceremonious snort. In his eyes, the other party's persistence was so ridiculous. They even gave it the high-sounding name of saving more people—did they not have any sense of which side had more people?

If the case still couldn't be solved in the end, who should those harmed by the Fen Shui Gang during this time go to for their grievances? Was the Capture Gate going to keep waiting?

"You really should go and listen to the weeping that lasts all night, and look at the families shattered because of this. Can you take responsibility for these things? What 'solving the case'—I'm afraid it's because it involves powerful officials that makes your Capture Gate so nervous!"

"You've been watching these people from the Fen Shui Gang for so long, yet you turn a blind eye to everything, watching them harm people day after day. Is it wrong to call you cold-blooded?"

In one breath, Shen Yu said everything he was thinking, speaking until the young woman opposite him seemed to have tears swirling in her eyes. If an ordinary person saw that aggrieved look, they would probably rush over immediately to carefully comfort her.

But unfortunately, she was facing Shen Yu. Sorry, but he, Shen Yu, really didn't buy that act; instead, he chose to press the advantage and keep rebuking her. Understand the terror of a "steel-straight" man.

"What, nothing to say? Since your Capture Gate is incompetent, don't blame it on others, and even more so, don't make so many innocent people pay the price for your incompetence!!"

"You bastard!" Finally, the young woman opposite could no longer suppress the anger in her heart. Consumed by rage, she casually threw the sword she was holding, scabbard and all, fiercely toward Shen Yu.

"Clang~!" Suddenly, the sound of a sword being drawn rang out, and a flash of sword light appeared abruptly, as brilliant and eye-catching as dazzling fireworks. Before the young woman opposite could react, an exquisite longsword was already held horizontally across her neck.

The cold killing intent brought waves of chill, causing the anger in the young woman's heart to vanish in an instant. Only then did she truly understand that the person before her was not the fellow disciple she could joke and play with as she pleased in the past, but the iron-blooded County Magistrate rumored to kill without blinking.

She had heard this little County Magistrate's name so much recently that her ears were practically calloused. It was said that he was famously iron-blooded and ruthless, giving no one face. From the jianghu assassin of the Golden Rain Tower to the Prefect of Changling Jun, whose face had he given?

Back then, the Prefect of Changling Jun was his direct superior. When he learned that the superior's son had killed people to practice his arts, he didn't say a word and directly dealt the killing blow, not hesitating in the slightest.

As for herself, if she touched his bottom line, the possibility of him being tender toward the fairer sex was likely minimal.

"Magistrate Shen, hold your hand!" Suddenly, a gust of wind blew past the doorway, and in the blink of an eye, a figure arrived at high speed. Shen Yu didn't know how strong the newcomer was, but this lightness skill was truly worthy of being called peak perfection.

"Magistrate Shen, my little sister has been spoiled by us; I hope Magistrate Shen will not take offense!"

"No matter, this official never intended to get angry with a young woman!" Withdrawing the sword in his hand, Shen Yu couldn't help but size up the other party. The newcomer was a man in his thirties, appearing shrewd beneath a look of honest simplicity, and his constable uniform was inlaid with silver edges.

"Wait, silver edges?" Upon seeing the silver edges on the constable's uniform, Shen Yu felt a sudden shock in his heart. Then, his gaze moved downward and he saw the silver badge worn on the middle-aged man's body.

"It really is a Silver Badge Constable. The Capture Gate has actually dispatched a Silver Badge Constable!" One had to know that even the Chief Constable of a whole province only wore a silver badge. It seemed the case the Capture Gate was investigating now was not as simple as he had imagined.

"Magistrate Shen is truly wise and righteous. I am Fang Ziyi, greetings to Magistrate Shen! I came uninvited, and I hope Magistrate Shen will forgive me!"

"Magistrate Fang is too polite. A Silver Badge Constable of the Capture Gate holds a rank of the fifth grade; that is much higher than this official!"

Although the other party's rank was higher than his own and his attitude was quite sincere, to be honest, their impression in Shen Yu's heart was truly not great.

It was clear that the people from the Capture Gate had been watching the Fen Shui Gang for a long time, yet they hadn't made a move for so long. Shen Yu understood the logic of "casting a long line to catch a big fish," and he could understand wanting to solve a case, but that was no excuse for letting the Fen Shui Gang harm people unchecked.

"Please take the person away, Magistrate Fang. This official has other matters, so I won't keep the two of you for a meal!"

"Magistrate Shen, wait!" Seeing Shen Yu's attitude, Fang Ziyi was not as irritable as the young woman, but instead said gently, "I presume Magistrate Shen also knows what we are investigating. After our investigation at the Capture Gate during this time, the person behind the scenes should be in Sanshui County!"

"This person collects young women and young boys, most likely for the Heart Blood Essence of boys and the primordial yin of young women. Those who fall into his hands likely cannot survive! This person's crimes are unforgivable; does Magistrate Shen agree?"

Speaking to this point, Fang Ziyi's meaning was already very clear. Those who fell into the hands of the Fen Shui Gang might be tortured or ravaged, but at least they could stay alive, as the Fen Shui Gang still needed them to make money. But those who fell into the hands of the person they were tracking were likely doomed to die.

Comparing the two, which was light and which was heavy? Who could say for sure!

However, Fang Ziyi had not come to debate with Shen Yu. After a pause, Fang Ziyi continued, "Our Capture Gate has limited manpower, and to avoid alerting the enemy, we cannot conduct a large-scale search, so we need Magistrate Shen's assistance!"

"I have long heard that Magistrate Shen loves the people as his own children. If such a thing is truly happening, surely you would not stand idly by, would you?"

"If such a thing is truly happening, this official is naturally duty-bound!" Looking directly into the other party's eyes, Shen Yu saw only openness within them.

"Since this official is the County Magistrate of Sanshui County, if such evil truly exists in Sanshui County, then this official will naturally do everything in my power to eradicate it!"

"In that case, many thanks to Magistrate Shen. If there is any news, we will certainly notify Magistrate Shen!"

"Magistrate, something has happened!" Just at this moment, a Constable hurried in to report, "Constable Lu—no, County Lieutenant Lu has been surrounded!"

"Who has such audacity!"

"It's the An Family!" The reporting Constable said to Shen Yu while panting, "Today, County Lieutenant Lu was patrolling the street with his men and discovered the young master of the An Family molesting a young woman on the street. County Lieutenant Lu stepped forward to stop him, but was insulted by the other party!"

"County Lieutenant Lu wanted to bring him back, but the An Family sent people over and surrounded County Lieutenant Lu instead!"

"Let's go, follow this official to take a look!" Hurriedly letting this Constable lead the way, Shen Yu couldn't help but complain inwardly.

Are these rich kids so bored with nothing to do that they spend every day molesting women on the street? Aren't the pretty maids at home good enough?

"The An Family actually surrounded the County Lieutenant; none of them are good things—dogs biting dogs, a mouthful of fur!"

At this time, Fang Ziyi, who was standing nearby, couldn't help but smile slightly upon hearing this news. "But for the County Lieutenant to be able to fight with the An Family—aren't they supposed to be thick as thieves? Interesting, truly interesting. I wonder how this County Magistrate will handle it?"