Chapter 12: 12 No Door to Hell, Yet You Come Knocking

12 No Door to Hell, Yet You Come Knocking

I don't know how much time passed, but just as Tang Zhao was frozen through to the bone, he faintly heard voices outside the well.

The voices were very noisy; they did not seem to be the voices of Sui Feng and the other two.

Tang Zhao, who was almost frozen stiff, could not care about all that; he braced himself against the well wall and shouted loudly, "Help! Help! There is someone in the well!"

His voice was hoarse and trembling; staying in the well for this long had exhausted his strength.

The voices outside were in Chaos, and he did not know if anyone had heard him, so he had to shout with all his might, shouting until he truly could not make a sound, only then pausing.

Suddenly, the surroundings went quiet.

Someone overhead said, "Is there someone down there?"

Tang Zhao cleared his throat and shouted with all his might, "Help!"

The mouth of the well lit up; clearly, someone was using a Lamp to shine light down.

Then he heard someone cheer, "It's a little one. Haha, I bet we caught the right person! So he was hiding in the well!"

Tang Zhao was horrified and wondered in shock: Catch me? What did I do to get caught?

However, there was no time for him to overthink it; since they had the intention to catch someone, the people outside arrived very quickly. Someone immediately lowered a rope, climbed down to the bottom of the well, and without a word, grabbed Tang Zhao, laughing, "Aha, a skinny little brat, looks like it's you! Did you think you could get away by hiding in a well?"

Tang Zhao's heart stirred; he had already guessed a bit of the beginning and end, but he hesitated to speak.

No matter what, he had to let them get him out first.

Being hoisted up through the well mouth, Tang Zhao squinted his eyes.

It was too bright outside.

The mouth of the well was surrounded by Torches, with a large circle of people around it. Tang Zhao glanced at them; they all seemed to be bailiffs in official uniforms.

Tang Zhao secretly wondered: What crime had he committed? Could he be a wanted murderer?

With a thud, Tang Zhao fell to the ground; a flash of white appeared before his eyes, and a gleaming blade was held horizontally in front of him.

Then he heard someone sneer, "I ask you, why were you running? Can you get far with two children?"

Tang Zhao's heart tightened, and he suddenly opened his mouth to Ask, "Are you going to implicate the children?"

The one speaking was a middle-aged bailiff; the blade in his hand was only an inch from Tang Zhao's eyebrows, the chill making Tang Zhao's skin shiver. He said, "Behave yourself and come with us, and I won't go after your younger siblings. If you move around, neither the big one nor the small one will be able to run. Kid, do you know the prestige of the Land Inspection Division?"

Tang Zhao's thoughts raced, various hesitations and entanglements flooding his mind, but in the end, he closed his eyes and said, "I will go with you."

……

Surrounded by a group of people, Tang Zhao did not know the direction, following them as he walked forward with uneven steps.

Suddenly, the crowd stopped; Tang Zhao felt that the surroundings were even brighter, as if there were more Torches and more people here.

Someone ran forward, and after a while, he heard someone say, "Oh, another one?"

Tang Zhao's heart tightened, and he thought to himself: Oh no?!

The crowd parted, and the firelight shone directly into his face.

A tall horse stood in front of him, and someone sat high up on the horse, saying unhurriedly, "The world is different now. In the past, when we looked for people, we couldn't find a single one. Now, it's quite the opposite; we only look for one person, and two or three pop up, growing faster than mushrooms after the rain. Could it be that our Land Inspection Division's reputation is just too useful?"

Tang Zhao looked up and saw the person on the horse wearing a red cloak, his sword-like eyebrows raised, sneering incessantly.

It's over!

It was actually an acquaintance!

This person was actually the red-cloaked military officer he had met at Xue Fu back then, who had even gifted him a Longevity Lock; one could say he had a life-saving grace toward him. But now was definitely not a good time to offer thanks; on the contrary, it was extremely awkward.

At this moment, he could see the other party, and the other party could see him too.

"Hmm?" Perhaps the other party had a good memory, as he actually seemed to remember him, showing a hint of surprise, "This age is about right. What did you come here for?"

"This age is about right" made Tang Zhao ponder, and cold sweat broke out.

His heart was in a tangle, making it hard for Tang Zhao to organize his words, and he blurted out, "I don't know."

"Don't know? You come here without knowing? Truly a scoundrel!" The military officer was suddenly furious, and by the end, his anger erupted. He reached out, grabbed Tang Zhao by the collar, and lifted him up, saying, "You bunch of ignorant, stubborn people, what do you think you are? Great Heroes of supreme righteousness? And what do you take this office for? Mad dogs that rob men and bully women? Or the stupidest kind? You think you can fool us once, twice, three times!"

Tang Zhao was speechless; he had really come here on a whim, knowing nothing, so he could not say anything.

Seeing Tang Zhao's panic mixed with confusion, the man in red slowly calmed his anger and said, "Forget it, you ignorant and foolish people are not worth mentioning. I am looking for someone else, not you."

Tang Zhao blurted out, "Are you sure it's not me?"

The man in red was half-impatient and half-amused, saying, "Still stubborn? Come—"

He reached out and drew his sword from his waist.

Hanging from the sword were a Sword Tassel and a Bead.

He moved his wrist slightly, and the Bead was aimed directly at Tang Zhao's eyes.

The Bead was golden-yellow, and inside it, there seemed to be ripples in circles.

Tang Zhao felt a jolt, feeling as if he were staring into an eye.

That Bead was not just an eye; its gaze was extremely sharp, as if it were real, and those ripples were also spinning like a whirlpool.

A certain feeling of déjà vu was about to emerge!

He immediately recalled the feeling of being hit by a Spirit attack twice in one day and instinctively pressed his hands to his head.

However, this time, nothing unusual happened.

Only when he covered his eyes did a line of Golden Pattern flash in the pitch-black field of vision.

That pattern was very strange and flashed so quickly that the brilliance had already vanished the moment he blinked.

Strange……

While he was secretly astonished, the Bead opposite him lit up.

Although it was a bead the size of a grain of rice, its brilliance was more than just a Lamp; it was almost like the bright moon!

Then he heard someone say, "It seems I have times when I am mistaken too. Not bad, Tang Zhao."

Tang Zhao pulled his hand away and saw that the brilliance of the Bead had extinguished, leaving only a faint glow.

The red-cloaked person continued, "Since you threw yourself into the net, that means you are at my disposal, with no regrets for yourself and no complaints against others, right?"

Tang Zhao gave a bitter smile; what could he say at a time like this?

Immediately after, Tang Zhao felt his body sway, clearly being carried forward by that person. On both sides were the light of torches and all sorts of gazes, so he couldn't help but close his eyes.

After a while, Tang Zhao's body sank, and he had actually landed on a wooden board.

He opened his eyes and looked closely; it was actually a Cart.

Wait, wasn't this his own Cart?

And that Donkey... it was an old acquaintance too!

Three feet in front of him, someone was looking at him in surprise.

It was exactly that youth he had met in the temple.

Upon seeing this youth, beyond his surprise, a surge of anger rushed to the top of Tang Zhao's head—this kid not only stirred up such big trouble, but he had also been caught ages ago!

If you were caught, why didn't you say so earlier? You made me foolishly take the fall for you!

Although the other party didn't make him take the fall, Tang Zhao was still furious.

Part of it was anger, and part of it was fear.

It was fear of his own perilous situation, and also fear that his momentary decision of reckless courage was completely worthless.

He heard the red-clad person overhead say, "That kid, you have quite good connections; one after another, they are all willing to sacrifice themselves for you. If I hadn't caught you early, I might have let you run away. I think you are suited to be a mountain bandit king, with subordinates all full of loyalty."

The youth jumped up like a spring, pointed at Tang Zhao, opened his mouth to speak, but couldn't say a word. He then knelt back down on the cart and kowtowed, saying, "My Lord, this lowly one and them were just chance acquaintances; we don't know each other at all. It was just that I was blinded by greed before, fooling them into hiding things for me in a vain attempt to escape. Now that the net of heaven is wide, I have been brought to justice anyway. As a man on the verge of death, I cannot bear to commit more sins. Please, for the sake of him being deceived, let him go this once."

Tang Zhao was stunned, and the red-clad person laughed aloud, "You lot really don't take this town official seriously, wanting me to catch whoever you want and release whoever you want—do you think I'm made of mud? Since you know you are on the verge of death, just stay put honestly." Having said that, he rode off on his horse.

At this moment, the people and horses all started moving, and the Cart pulled by the Donkey with the two youths also followed forward. Surrounded by guards holding blades, it was truly impossible to escape even with wings.

The youth raised his head, looking blank and dazed, then suddenly turned back and gritted his teeth, saying, "What exactly are you all thinking? I don't even know you people at all!"

Tang Zhao's anger had already dissipated when the youth took the blame upon himself just now. With a little bit left, he simply threw it all out, saying fiercely, "We do whatever we want, what does it have to do with you?!"

The youth was stunned and couldn't help but weaken, his body shrinking back. He was already humble to begin with; when he smiled before it was humble, and now, with shame mixed with pain, he was even more unbearably humble.

Tang Zhao's heart softened. He sighed and said, "Actually, I was also at the end of my rope with nowhere to stay. I thought I'd just let things go to ruin and try to make the final act look a bit better. A friend of mine once said that I have a face that looks clear and sensible, but I'm actually a fool who will eventually bring about my own death. You don't need to take it to heart."

The youth lowered his head, and after a while, said, "I know what you mean; it was a moment of compassion, unable to bear seeing me die and taking three lives with me. This lowly one... we siblings really cannot afford to accept this."

Hearing "you all," Tang Zhao hurriedly asked, "How is Feng Ge?"

The youth said, "They let him go. Before, when they came to catch me, that big brother told me to take my younger siblings and leave first, and he took my place to be caught. After I hid Ying'er and the others, I went back to surrender. Although that official was angry, he still let that big brother go."

Tang Zhao felt slightly relieved. He wasn't surprised by Feng Ge's choice; he had said before that if women and children were in front, Sui Feng would never ignore them. Fortunately, Feng Ge had better luck than him and was able to escape.

He thought again: Although that red-clad official kills, he is not too evil, and he had done me a favor before. It's no wonder he is angry now... He had already let Feng Ge go once, and I came and did the same thing again. Although we didn't communicate, it was like we were playing a trick on him.

Of course, even if the red-clad person wasn't an evil man, he was still a high and mighty noble to them, deciding life and death with a single word. He could save their lives on a whim, or take their heads in a moment of anger.

The wind was very cold, blowing Tang Zhao, who was soaked through, into a crouch. He involuntarily moved closer to the Torch, wanting to borrow a little warmth from the firelight. That bit of flame looked bright, but it was useless in the cold wind.

He sat on the cart with his knees hugged, his gaze passing through the flickering firelight to look at the night sky in the wilderness—as black as ink, just like their hopeless path ahead.

The oppression in his heart was about to explode. At this moment, he truly missed his family and friends.

If his father were here, if Chen Zong were here, he would naturally have someone to rely on.

If Sui Feng were here, although he was cautious, he would still stand in front of him.

Even if his friend were here, that optimist could say some witty remarks to ease the mood even when things were dire, letting him feel relieved just by sitting still.

But now there was no one else, only himself.

He had no choice but to become the oldest and strongest person on the scene.

Tang Zhao turned his head and asked, "Before you left, did you entrust your younger siblings to Feng Ge?"

The youth lowered his head and replied, "This lowly one was thick-skinned."

Tang Zhao felt relieved—after all, there was one great fortune amidst the misfortune. A relaxed smile appeared on his face, which had been stiffened by the wind, and he said, "Alright, then you have no worries left. This Feng Ge of mine is a truly good person. Since he promised you, he will definitely take care of them to the end. Don't worry."

The youth still kept his head down and said, "I know. If I were the only one here, I would truly have no regrets in death."

Tang Zhao laughed, "I have no regrets either. I have no family left, not a single attachment." Speaking of this, he unconsciously reached out to touch the Glasses in his bosom.

The touch was still so familiar.

In an instant, a doubt suddenly flashed through his mind.

Had he forgotten something?

Hmm...

Golden light... fairy... Glasses...

Chaotic thoughts swirled in his mind. There was an absurd feeling of reality and illusion intersecting. Because there were too many strange things, he couldn't tell which thought he needed to recall.

He took out the Glasses and shone them against the moon again.

He saw it?!

The lenses were round and clear, no longer having the cracks from before.

Can a broken mirror be made whole again?

The shadow of the fairy in the water flashed by, and that feeling of intersection between truth and illusion became even clearer.

If you drop them in water, will broken glasses become good glasses?

In fairy tales, they say they will turn into golden glasses and silver glasses.

But...

How could a hundred golden or silver glasses compare to the restoration and return of the original ones?

That was the regret Chen Zong couldn't stop thinking about before leaving.

Now that the regret could be mended, the person was no longer there.

It was clearly a moment of surprise, but in a flash, it turned into sorrow.

Supporting the frame with his hand, he whispered, "Thank you."

The moonlight tonight is too bright.

It makes one's eyes dazzled.

Because of the direct glare of the moonlight, he overlooked a line of Golden Pattern that flashed across the lens.

Lowering his head and widening his eyes, Tang Zhao said: "Before, you said you were a jinx; I found that very unpleasant to hear. You still have two younger siblings, yet you call yourself unlucky. I have no family left at all; what does that make me?"

The youth's mouth twitched slightly, appearing to smile, but his voice carried a sob: "Then now you are the star of misfortune. Perhaps my bad luck has passed, and by chance, I was able to meet you. Yet you are plagued by bad luck, encountering me the moment you stepped out."

Tang Zhao sighed silently and asked again: "Can you tell me the truth now? What exactly did you commit? Was it murder and arson, or rebellion and treason? Is it death or dismemberment?"

Thinking that the youth was so frail, he did not believe he could commit murder or arson, but it was possible he was implicated in some major case. After all, some cases involved the execution of an entire clan, and even a remaining child could not be spared. The people from the Land Inspection Division were so imposing that he could believe it was a major case of treason.

The youth said in a low voice: "I don't know."

Tang Zhao went "Huh?" and frowned.

The youth said urgently: "How could I hide it from you at this point? If I knew, I would tell you everything just to let you be an informed ghost. But I am still a confused ghost myself! I was just thinking, how did it come to this? First, I thought of my family—that's not it. Although my family suffered a disaster, it was not a crime involving collective punishment, and it would never lead to people being hunted down thousands of miles away. Then it must be on the road..."

"If we talk about this journey... it's not that I didn't have conflicts with others, but I am small and weak; only others bully me, how could I harm others? The most dangerous time was when I ran into human traffickers and was chased in a sorry state..."

Tang Zhao said: "Human traffickers? Was it a fat man?"

The youth frowned and said: "That's not it; it was an old woman. She looked kind and benevolent, but she hid fangs."

Tang Zhao understood; there were so many human traffickers in this world, did he think that just because he saw one cockroach, there was only one cockroach in the world?

"If it were those miscellaneous people catching me, no matter the reason, it wouldn't be strange. But to have provoked government officials, I truly don't understand! Along the way, I would rather beg for a living; I haven't taken a single cent of ill-gotten wealth, only seeking to have a clear conscience. Heaven above and Earth below, the sun and moon can bear witness!"

Tang Zhao said: "Since that is the case... are they really government officials?" He lowered his voice for the last sentence.

The youth said without hesitation: "Yes. First, they have official uniforms as proof. Second... their conduct is upright, and they are already the most reasonable of their kind; this is why you and I are still alive. In this world, there are officials with lower standards than thieves, but the upper limit of a thief is certainly not high." He grabbed Tang Zhao's hand and said sincerely: "Therefore, although I am deeply grateful for your righteous act today, please don't do this again in the future. If our luck hadn't been heaven-sent, you would have lost your life encountering 'ordinary' officials."

Tang Zhao smiled bitterly: "Do you really think I am a great hero or Great Hero who sacrifices his life for righteousness? Do I not cherish my life? Sometimes, it is a matter of a single thought. Who hasn't done something stupid on impulse?"

If he hadn't seen the two children... if he hadn't seen the ground covered in shackled children in the desolate village, if it hadn't been for that kind of confusion and despair with no way forward, he would not have had the impulse to sacrifice himself.

Perhaps, this was the greatest act of heroism he would ever perform in his life.

The youth said: "You are a Great Hero. Strong winds reveal the sturdy grass; chaotic times reveal the hero. If a hero and Great Hero isn't judged by how he acts in times of danger, what is he judged by? It's just that you shouldn't be ruined here. Dragging a gentleman down is truly not my intention. Things have reached this point; I only hope... I hope there is little involvement, so I don't die with regrets."

Tang Zhao suddenly laughed, patted his shoulder, and said: "Why go that far? Since we haven't reached a dead end yet, don't lose heart. What if it isn't a bad thing?"