Chapter 529: Detention from Afar

"I'll play three cards."

"Don't move, I'm calling, I have a pair here that beats yours."

"Eat..."

The lively atmosphere was exceptionally bizarre in the dim and damp dungeon, but the few people in the midst of it felt nothing unusual.

Being in Zhenxiong Yu with no hope of escape, one could only find joy in bitterness and amuse oneself.

Tao Zhugong sat cross-legged, left foot resting on his right, with a pile of bones as delicate as white porcelain gathered before him.

He held several Beiye Cards in his hand; the cards were dark, thick, and coarse, clearly made from the skin of some ferocious beast.

Beiye Cards were an extremely popular form of entertainment, capable of soothing the spirit and relieving boredom; if a wager was added, it became gambling.

Sitting opposite him were three gambling companions, each with a pile of pale bones in front of them, some larger than others.

In this godforsaken place where the sun never shone, resources were scarce, and the only things that could be used as wagers were these bones found everywhere.

"Same old rules, one Huomei bone is worth ten Human Bones, place your bets."

After another round finished, the pile of bones in front of Tao Zhugong grew by a few more pieces, and he loudly called out to the prisoners watching nearby, "Those not at the table can also follow the bets and come play together."

The surrounding prisoners shook their heads as they watched; this fellow had formidable methods, and although he hadn't been in Zhenxiong Yu for long, in that short period, he had scraped away every last private stash they had.

Relying on trading, gambling, and other methods, he made the vicious and wicked prisoners willingly empty out their very last cent.

A strange scene occurred: in a dungeon that had been deathly still for many years, a gap between rich and poor appeared for the first time in history.

Of course, apart from Tao Zhugong being immensely wealthy, everyone else was a pauper.

In the end, the wagers for the gambling had nothing else to offer, only the bones found everywhere on the ground serving as chips.

If one were to talk about this Zhenxiong Yu, if there was nothing else, there were certainly plenty of prisoners.

As for prisoners, besides wicked people, there were also various types of charms that preyed on the common folk and caused disasters.

Whether human or charm, once locked inside, the outcome was direct: darkness without a single day of sun, imprisoned until death; here there was only life imprisonment, no such thing as release upon completion of a sentence.

Often, prisoners would despair and commit suicide, or charms would spontaneously combust seeking release, leaving behind remains and bones.

"It's a pity, the Qianmei Remains that are worth a thousand gold outside are so rampant in Zhenxiong Yu that they are worthless."

Tao Zhugong pinched a Huomei bone; this was the remains of a large Qianmei, and beside it were a few pieces from small Qianmei.

In his gambling games, bones of Qianmei and below were not distinguished, but Huomei Remains were different and unusual, capable of being exchanged for 100 pieces of ordinary charm remains.

Even in Zhenxiong Yu, Huomei were a very rare existence.

It is said that since the establishment of Zhenxiong Yu, the various types of charms imprisoned within were countless, but those at the Huomei level, all told, did not exceed 100, and each one was registered and tracked.

As strategic resources, Huomei could be used to craft Huomei treasures, so they were not just locked up and ignored like other charms.

Even so, inside Zhenxiong Yu, rumors still circulated that certain prisoners had privately hidden Huomei bones.

This was very difficult; one had to take advantage of loopholes in the City Gate Guard to snatch one or two pieces.

Tao Zhugong's goal was to strive to dig out precious Huomei Remains from these prisoners; although he couldn't use them while locked in Zhenxiong Yu, his greatest lifelong hobby was collecting wealth and standing at the pinnacle of all living things.

"Come, come..."

Just as Tao Zhugong was about to open his mouth to solicit customers, his chest suddenly felt slightly hot, and the power of the Seal Script that had been dormant for a long time instantly revived.

He was shocked and hurriedly found an excuse to leave the public eye, finding a quiet, deserted corner to sit down.

Ever since he broke into Zhenxiong Yu, he had been plagued by bad luck; this godforsaken place lived up to its name, as the single character 'Zhen' caused all power to vanish into thin air—no matter what realm of martial artist you were, you became a weakling here; as for the charms locked inside, they were no different from biting cats and dogs, possessing no threat whatsoever.

One or two Jailers holding waist sabers could kill them at will.

Tao Zhugong missed the days outside immensely; he was a high and mighty Golden Immortal, a man of immense wealth, and how many noble families treated him as an honored guest. Unlike now, living on soup boiled with moldy rice, and even this stuff that pigs and dogs wouldn't eat, he couldn't even get enough of.

"Get me out, get me out, let me out, and I promise you ten thousand strings of wealth."

Tao Zhugong's eyes were red; his promise was not fake, and if he could leave Zhenxiong Yu, he would be willing to discard half his family fortune.

The burning sensation in his chest seemed to have heard him, responding with a tremble.

The next moment, a familiar, aged voice rang in his ears.

"Detain, where is Tao Zhugong, come quickly!"

"Here!"

As if possessed, Tao Zhugong quickly opened his mouth to answer, and the next moment his body was wrapped in light emerging from the void.

With a few flickers, the light dissipated, and Tao Zhugong vanished from the spot, leaving behind the empty prison floor.

There was still a long time before the meal time, and the other prisoners were immersed in the gambling game; no one would notice the anomaly here.

A wild wind swept across the wilderness...

Zhou You, disguised as Moyunzi, leaned over to look closely at a broken stele buried in the soil.

On the open ground behind him, a ball of light suddenly burst forth, and Tao Zhugong landed out of thin air, falling with an "ouch, ouch."

"You've arrived? Catch your breath, steady your mood, and then speak with me."

Tao Zhugong had gained his freedom and had countless ideas to realize; just as he was full of ambition, a basin of cold water was suddenly poured over him.

Moyunzi, that Moyunzi who had tricked him into Zhenxiong Yu?

How could it be him? "Moyunzi, I am now a bird out of a cage, the sea is wide and the sky is high, I can go in any of the eight directions, I won't fall for your tricks again."

He looked back at the painful lesson; the thing he shouldn't have done was use the other party's talisman book, and after reflecting on his pain, he believed he had a way.

This time, he wouldn't be fooled again no matter what.

"Hehe, this Seal Script of mine is quite interesting; as long as you have been detained once, there will be a second, a third, and even a thousand or ten thousand times."

"You might as well feel it; isn't it true that as long as I flick my finger, you will return to Zhenxiong Yu?"

The magical use of the 'Detain' Seal Script was not just for taking or sending people; once a connection was established, the power of the Seal Script would only grow stronger.

For example, as long as you commit a crime and leave a record, no matter what you do in the future, you won't be able to escape the surveillance of the authorities.

That's right, Tao Zhugong had a record with Zhou You; no matter how careful he was, the connection established by the 'Detain' Seal Script was unbreakable, and every time it was used, it would be reinforced, until finally, he was completely played in the palm of Zhou You's hand.

Tao Zhugong's heart went completely cold, because he guessed that the other party was not bluffing; the reality was true.

The next moment, Zhou You proved it directly with his actions.

He pointed his fingers at Tao Zhugong and shouted, "Go!"

A flash of white light appeared before Tao Zhugong's eyes, and he bounced up and landed again; when his vision recovered, the surrounding environment had turned back into the familiar Zhenxiong Yu, with its slippery ground, moldy corners, and air that was foul all year round.

He seemed to still remember the fresh air of the outside world and the vivid, lively colors.

"No, no, no, let me go back, Boss Moyunzi, I was wrong; I will agree to whatever you want."

After a long while, Tao Zhugong fell into despair, even hallucinating that everything just now had been a dream.

"Detain!"

Swish, another ball of light enveloped him.

(End of this chapter)