Chapter 459

Wu Captain didn't know where this squad was headed, but at the time he had an inexplicable feeling—as if he and his apprentice would never meet again in this lifetime.

Yet this was Chen Xiaomiao's own choice, and he could not interfere; just as the original hundreds-strong Mo Cun squad, after enduring so much on the road, had gradually scattered to villages along the way.

Only a little over a hundred remained with him.

After the event of parting from Chen Xiaomiao, Wu Captain's squad found the rest of their journey considerably easier.

Qingsi County ahead was drawing ever closer.

Then… they encountered a man in Xiaoyao Forest.

He was a man wearing a fully enclosed bull-headed helmet, standing motionless in the center of the village path.

"That girl—we the Phoenix Organization want."

Those were the man's exact words.

And the person he pointed at was none other than An Dong'er'er.

Wu Captain naturally could not hand An Dong'er'er over.

Then… came a one-sided massacre.

That unmatched power killed everyone and took away An Dong'er'er, who struggled desperately.

Only Wu Captain, just as on the night Mo Cun was destroyed, rose again after death—his chest burning hot, his pupils turning gold, his heart pounding wildly, as if transforming into some Phoenix Cry.

He crawled up again from the pile of corpses.

Wu Captain did not know where the bull-headed mask-wearer had taken An Dong'er'er, nor even which direction he had gone.

But this place was already close to Qingsi County!

A cultivator of such power, if he had ever been to Qingsi County, would surely leave traces, leave clues!

Also, the destruction of Mo Cun and the matter of the Wu Yu tribe needed him to report to the Qing Office!

So he could not fall, could not stay where he was.

So Wu Captain walked to the Qing Office, and now stood before Fang Yue.

After hearing Wu Captain's words, Fang Yue's emotions remained unsettled for a long time.

He clenched his fists and asked: "Why did the Phoenix Organization take An Dong'er'er?"

"I don't know…"

Wu Captain opened his mouth to speak, then hesitated, but finally spoke out—otherwise, this matter, buried inside him, would only fester.

Fang Yue happened to be his best confidant.

"…But the bull-headed mask worn by the Phoenix Organization's man… was very similar to the horse-headed mask worn by the leader of the squad that left with Miaofa."

Fang Yue's pupils contracted sharply.

"Could it be that Miaofa betrayed…?"

"My judgment of people isn't that poor! I don't believe she'd do something like this—even though later she wasn't on good terms with An Dong'er'er. I'm just telling you everything that happened. What you think is your business, but I believe in Miaofa!"

Or rather, forcing himself to believe Miaofa was innocent and had nothing to do with any of this.

Fang Yue could sense this from how Wu Captain had brought up the matter again on his own.

"Regardless of the truth, discussing it now is meaningless. If Miaofa really betrayed the squad, I'll kill her myself—even if you, her master, try to stop me!" Fang Yue said, forcing his emotions into calmness.

"If Miaofa truly betrayed the squad, I'll clean house myself—no need for you to lift a finger!"

Wu Captain paused, then glanced at Tian Erjun and You Sisi beside him.

"They're wearing blue robes—must be Qing Office's Blue Robes. I am Wu Captain of Mo Cun. Mo Cun was destroyed by the Wu Yu tribe. I've come to request aid—send people to kill the Wu Yu tribe! Prevent more villages from being wiped out!"

"Wu Yu tribe?" Tian Erjun and You Sisi exchanged glances, pointing at Fang Yue.

"The Wu Yu tribe that destroyed Mo Cun has already been crushed by Night Captain and Lord Han—they've gone into hiding somewhere."

"What…"

Wu Captain froze. Seeing Fang Yue here, he'd assumed Gu Yue Cun had escaped destruction.

But… things weren't as he'd thought?

He looked at Fang Yue, who then told him what had happened in Gu Yue Cun.

"Man Shui Cun, Luoye Cun… and Gu Yue Cun—all destroyed by the Wu Yu tribe!"

Wu Captain clenched his fists, golden threads faintly flickering in his eyes.

"They paid a price too," Fang Yue comforted.

But Wu Captain shot up like an enraged lion: "Not enough! Far from enough! They must pay a far heavier price!"

This mad demeanor startled Fang Yue.

Sensing his loss of composure, Wu Captain calmed himself; the faint golden threads in his eyes slowly dimmed.

"Forgive me—I lost control. Since the Wu Yu tribe that destroyed our village has already been crushed, I'll set this matter aside for now. I came to the Qing Office for two reasons: one, to report the Wu Yu tribe's village destruction; two, to inquire about something."

"What?"

"Where is the Phoenix Organization's base? Does anyone know the identity or whereabouts of that bull-headed mask-wearer? I must rescue An Dong'er'er!"

"I'll go with you!" Fang Yue said immediately, then turned to You Sisi: "As for Phoenix Organization intelligence, we happen to have someone you know well—who knows a few clues."

"Huh?"

Wu Captain's eyes lit up instantly.

…

In the cold, damp dungeon beneath the Qing Office, Black Crow leaned against the wall, lost in thought.

Tap-tap-tap.

Suddenly, footsteps approached from ahead; soon, the glow of Human Soul fire grew brighter, drawing closer.

When the group stopped at the cell door, Black Crow narrowed his eyes and walked to the iron bars.

"You two came to release me? You can't hold me much longer—my Phoenix Organization will soon pressure you into letting me go…"

Whoosh!

Before Black Crow could finish speaking, a strong, sturdy arm shot through the iron bars of the cell door and clamped directly around his throat.

"Mmph—mph?! S-stop!"

Black Crow couldn't breathe at all in an instant, his face swelling to the color of pork liver.

"Oh my, oh my, what a familiar old face this is!"

A slightly familiar voice rang out, and a fellow with a shaved head and dead-fish eyes suddenly leaned in close from the darkness.

"C-Captain Wu? Captain Wu from Mo Cun?!"

Black Crow was instantly dumbfounded.

How could this guy show up here?

But once he came back to his senses, he actually relaxed quite a bit.

The Captain of Mo Cun was no Blue-Robed Enforcer of the Green Division!

"Captain Wu, let's talk this out properly—don't forget who's standing behind me!"

Smack!!

Black Crow had barely finished speaking when Captain Wu had already slapped him across the face.

"Y-you hit me? Aren't you afraid of the Phoenix Organization's retaliation?!"

"Retaliation?"

Captain Wu let out a chilling smile: "You think I still care about anything? Everything I could lose has already been lost—I'm nothing but a lone wandering ghost. Now it's time for you dogs to huddle in a corner and whimper!"

Indeed, with no more ties to Mo Cun, Captain Wu was just one man on his own; whatever he wanted to do, he could do, and no one could threaten him.

Now he was nothing but a pure martial artist—a martial artist driven by revenge and by saving people.

(End of Chapter)