Chapter 40: Unlawful and Unrestrained

Jiang Jiang Mingyu's sharp shout instantly made the middle-aged man in the distance's face flush with terror.

The hand tightly clutching the gray cloth money bag began to tremble unnaturally.

Seeing himself exposed, he furrowed his brows tightly, turned his head, and fled in panic.

Jiang Jiang Mingyu, dressed in plain clothes, his angry shout still clearly audible: "Seize him!"

He happened to witness that thief stealing an old woman's money bag from the streetside.

That thief had run far away, and only then did the old woman realize she had been robbed, so she clutched her hair and cried out, "Help! Catch the thief!"

The old woman slumped to the ground, repeatedly slapping her own thighs, wailing without cease.

Tu Tu Kesiluo, Lord Lord Murong, and the others, also dressed in plain clothes, without the slightest hesitation, pursued directly: "Where are you running? Stop right there!"

Jiang Jiang Mingyu took two steps forward, gently helping the old woman up: "Elder, do not panic; we will surely retrieve the money bag for you. Look..."

He glanced again toward Tu Tu Kesiluo and the others; this glance, which he shouldn't have taken, instantly left him dumbfounded.

Tu Tu Kesiluo, having run not far, seeing the thief nearly out of sight, like a peacock soaring in the sky, leaped from the ground and suddenly took flight!

His feet barely touched the ground, instead stepping precisely in mid-air, suddenly leaping up from the wall.

With astonishing speed, he climbed onto the roof, continuing to chase the thief.

Tu Tu Kesiluo's movement technique was as if his physical form faded away, leaving only his soul to play.

Jiang Jiang Mingyu understood, speechlessly saying: "Holy crap, so awesome?"

Jiang Jiang Mingyu knew Tu Tu Kesiluo's Wu Gong was formidable! He never expected that Tu Tu Kesiluo, after being nourished by Seven Seas Li Zhenren, would have such inhuman movement techniques.

Before he could fully process it, he saw Tu Tu Kesiluo had already caught the money-stealing thief and brought him back, holding him like a small chicken.

"In broad daylight, stealing people's wealth, what crime should you be punished for?" Jiang Jiang Mingyu's voice was filled with majesty and resolve.

That thief, however, showed no fear, answering brazenly: "Pah, who the hell are you? Full and bored, meddling in others' business? It's not your money, what does it have to do with you?"

Jiang Jiang Mingyu did not rush to reveal his identity: "Do you still have any Wang Fa in your eyes? Do you truly think no one can punish you?"

"Stop wasting words; theft is a crime. Quickly hand over the silver bag and come with me to the government office for trial."

The thief pinned to the ground actually laughed: "Hehe, the county yamen? The county magistrate is gone; why do you still care about the county yamen?"

"A group of incompetent rats who only know how to exploit the people; do you think your grandpa is afraid of them?"

"You little bastard, rice can be eaten recklessly, but words cannot be spoken recklessly. You call me a thief; what proof do you have?"

Jiang Jiang Mingyu reached into the thief's embrace and pulled out the old woman's money bag: "How do you explain this?"

The thief casually lied: "Why are you taking the money bag?"

Jiang Jiang Mingyu sneered: "Before the victim, you still dare to deny it? Elder, is this your money bag?"

He handed the money bag to the old woman, asking softly.

Before the old woman could speak, the thief on the ground, with fierce eyes and words full of threat, opened his mouth: "Old dead thing, your grandpa is from Green Dragon Stronghold; think carefully before speaking!"

"This... this... no... not... my... mine." The old woman was terrified, unable to speak a complete sentence.

"I didn't lose any money, young man; you are wronging this grandpa. Quickly release him."

"It's all this old woman's fault; grandpa, I offer my apologies to you."

Saying this, she actually bent down and bowed to the thief on the ground.

Jiang Jiang Mingyu was stunned; in just a few sentences, the victim had actually turned against him.

Immediately, he realized the problem must lie in those three words: Green Dragon Stronghold.

But before he could speak, the subdued thief laughed loudly: "Kid, did you hear? The money belongs to grandpa; quickly return it to grandpa."

Jiang Jiang Mingyu ignored him, turning to ask Lord Lord Murong: "What place is Green Dragon Stronghold?"

Wu Xiaoer, who had been barely present, suddenly spoke with a cold sneer: "Green Dragon Stronghold is a bandit den on Green Dragon Mountain to the east, occupied by a gang of thousand-cursed bandits; this thief must be one of them."

"In these years, the people of Shangmu have suffered greatly from them."

"But the imperial army is already overwhelmed dealing with foreign tribes; helpless, they can only turn a blind eye."

Jiang Jiang Mingyu pondered: "No wonder you are so arrogant; it turns out you are all a group of fierce bandits who bully the weak."

The thief on the ground writhed, his expression utterly arrogant: "Kid, you speak correctly; mixing around in Shangmu land and not even hearing the name Green Dragon Stronghold, you truly have blind dog eyes."

"Those who know better should quickly release your grandpa, then bring five hundred taels of silver; your grandpa will treat today's matter as if it never happened."

With a cunning smile, he glanced at Jiang Jiang Mingyu: "Dare to say a single 'no', and when your grandpa returns to the mountain, you will be the first to suffer, your family destroyed and your house ruined."

Jiang Jiang Mingyu smiled: "Truly a villain specializing in utterly heartless deeds; fallen into my hands, yet you dare to be so arrogant?"

The skinny thief gradually stopped smiling: "Kid, hearing the name Green Dragon Stronghold, you still dare to speak disrespectfully."

"In view of us being from the same hometown, your grandpa will advise you one more time: do not invite disaster upon yourself!"

"Even if you truly send your grandpa to prison today, tomorrow you will have to kneel and beg grandpa to come out."

"Seeing you are young, perhaps you do not yet understand; quickly release your grandpa, quickly go home to fetch the silver?"

Jiang Jiang Mingyu smiled faintly: "Haha, then I would like to see how I kneel and beg you to come out tomorrow?"

Jiang Jiang Mingyu sneered, his gaze revealing contempt: "Hehe, do you truly think this official cannot handle you?"

Upon hearing Jiang Jiang Mingyu's self-introduction, the thief's face instantly changed; he hurriedly asked: "Who exactly are you, divine being?"

Jiang Jiang Mingyu, hands clasped behind his back, answered confidently: "I am the Imperial Envoy bestowed by the Emperor. Green Dragon Stronghold, what a mighty name."

The thief, who had just been arrogant and unrestrained, threatening to destroy Jiang Jiang Mingyu's family, now trembled in voice, pleading: "You are... the Imperial Envoy, my lord, spare my life..."

Jiang Jiang Mingyu shook his head, speaking with a mocking tone: "What, you heroes of Green Dragon Stronghold still know fear?"

"Where is your spirit of bullying the people? Quickly let me see how you make this official's family destroyed and house ruined."

The thief, Liu Liu Tianyu, was so terrified he nearly died; he nervously kowtowed: "Imperial Envoy, this humble one truly had eyes but did not recognize Mount Tai; I beg your forgiveness, I beg your forgiveness."

Jiang Jiang Mingyu sneered disdainfully: "Whose money is this, exactly?"

The thief kowtowed desperately, answering: "Hers, it is that old dead... elder's, my lord, this humble one knows his mistake."

Jiang Jiang Mingyu nodded quite satisfied: "Knowing one's mistake is good. Goudan, Xiaoer, take this thief to prison for later processing."

For some reason, Li Goudan felt somewhat embarrassed, but in the end, he stepped forward and escorted the begging thief to the prison.

As the thief departed, the old woman fell to her knees with a thud: "Please forgive this official, Your Excellency. I had no choice but to speak as I did just now."

"If we offended the Green Dragon Bandit Camp, our entire family would have no way to survive."

Jiang Jiang Mingyu gently helped her up: "Elder, this official understands your plight. Take the money and return home to rest early."

Watching the old woman's lonely figure walk away, Jiang Jiang Mingyu's face grew cold: "Do you see? They dare to be angry but not speak! Look at what these common people have been reduced to by such petty thieves!"

Lord Lord Murong also wore a sinister expression, his voice carrying a chill: "What does Brother Jiang Xingqiu mean?"

Jiang Jiang Mingyu sneered: "Their good days are coming to an end. Now that this official has arrived, I will surely root them out completely as a warning to others."