Chapter 117 : Chapter 117

Chapter 117: Cheng Yu's Masterclass in Criminal Interrogation

Cheng Zhenjiang and his wife had gone to the Jinyiwei to look for their son!

That simple, straightforward sentence, if put together like that, would only make the people of Great Qian instinctively think it was false.

Wasn't Great Hero Cheng's son the Young Alliance Leader prodigy on the Human Ranking?

With the reputation and fame their family enjoyed, how could they possibly have anything to do with the Jinyiwei?

A rumor so baseless and impractical, with no follow-up to support it, was no different from those apocryphal tales about why the founding emperor of Great Qian had never concealed his past as a beggar.

No matter how bizarre it sounded, nobody would care. People would instinctively treat it as a joke.

But now, when Cheng Fang heard it with his own ears, it became an entirely different matter.

Cheng Yu, the monstrous Jinyiwei genius who had come from Beixuan City, burst into Jiannan Circuit out of nowhere, and now stood seventh on the Human Ranking,

the vicious man who had slaughtered the Jianghu forces of an entire circuit and raided the great sect Sword-Forging Manor out of existence—no matter how one listened to it, he sounded exactly like the "son" Cheng Zhenjiang had once gone to search for...

If that was true, then it explained quite a few things.

Why had Cheng Zhenjiang avoided mentioning where he had gone before the destruction of the Sword-Forging Manor?

Whether he had helped or not should not have mattered much in the first place, since the Sword-Forging Manor could never escape its crime of harming a million laborers.

Trying too hard to hide it would only arouse suspicion.

Unless—there was something else that absolutely could not be allowed to come to light...

For example, that Cheng Zhenjiang had a son who killed without blinking, a court hound who delighted in raiding households and taking lives.

How could Great Hero Cheng possibly allow something like that to be known?

And if it had happened, then it would have to be treated as though it had never happened at all...

Having already guessed the truth, Cheng Fang felt cold all over. He collapsed back into his chair and began muttering to himself.

"No wonder. No wonder..."

"If Cheng Zhenjiang's son recognized my identity, then isn't that the most natural thing in the world?"

The subordinate beside him began trembling even harder.

Sir was no longer calling Clan Head Cheng Zhenjiang "Elder Cousin."

He was calling him by name now!

Bang!

Cheng Fang smashed his fist down on the table, fury blazing in his eyes.

No matter how bitter things had been before, no matter how dangerous and precarious, he had never looked like this.

Because he had believed he was devoting himself to the Cheng Family's future. No matter how hard things became, it had all been worth it.

But now,

he only found himself absurd and ridiculous!

He had risked his life like a fool to help Cheng Zhenjiang's son search for fortuitous treasures, licking blood from the knife's edge and bargaining with tigers, forced to remain cautious at every moment.

And in the end, he had been targeted by Cheng Zhenjiang's other son, who had exposed his identity and clearly intended to kill him.

Even if, for now, everything was still only speculation, unconfirmed and unproven, the mere thought that it might be true made Cheng Fang feel as if he had fallen into an ice cavern.

If that really was the case, then he would be such a witless fool that he deserved to be laughed at for a hundred years!

But no matter how furious Cheng Fang was at this moment, he could do nothing about it. What could he possibly do?

All he could do was force the anger back down, decide to seize Ancestor Cheng Yuan's treasure first, and only then make longer-term plans.

Xiao Qian had been captured right before his eyes, and Prince Qing's Remnants were already highly displeased with him.

He absolutely could not let matters grow any worse.

If those madmen found out that Cheng Yu was very likely Cheng Zhenjiang's son, they would definitely kill him!

"If it turns out to be false, then I will pretend I know nothing."

"And if it is true, then at worst the treasure will belong to me. Does Cheng Zhenjiang really dare force me to hand it over?"

Still in a state of furious frustration, he muttered those sinister words to himself.

Then he suddenly looked toward the subordinate beside him, who was shivering uncontrollably, and revealed a smile.

"Thanks to your reminder."

"Th-thank you for the praise, sir..."

The subordinate understood what was going on. Seeing that Cheng Fang was saying such things openly in front of him, he immediately broke out in cold sweat.

He felt that he knew far too much!

And sure enough, a surge of Internal Energy like crashing waves pierced through his chest.

He really had known too much.

The subordinate died with his eyes still open.

Before death, only one thought remained in his mind.

What kind of people were the direct descendants of the Cheng Family?

One was a hypocritical false hero, one was a double-dealing turncoat caught between both sides, and one was a blood-soaked Jinyiwei butcher.

The Cheng Family really had the full set.

...

Jiannan Prefecture.

Inside the Jinyiwei Thousand-Household Office, in the dark and damp underground prison, heart-rending cries echoed without end.

At a glance, every prisoner there was a well-known martial artist of the Jiannan Circuit Jianghu.

Who would have imagined that they would all end up crammed together inside a Jinyiwei dungeon?

They were the lucky ones.

Back then, they had stepped out of the Circuit Yamen gate with the right foot first. Cheng Yu had kept his word. He had to raid their factions first before killing them.

Inside one of the cells, Cheng Yu was instructing the Jinyiwei under him.

He was showing them how to smoothly make a Fifth-Rank martial artist whose four limbs had all been crippled admit to his crimes.

"I heard you once ambushed and killed innocent people for treasure?"

The martial artist shrieked in denial. "I have been wronged, my lord! How could I possibly have done such a thing?"

"Oh? Shouting loudly and offending the Jinyiwei. Add another charge."

The martial artist's eyes widened, and he instantly shut his mouth. No matter what, he did not dare speak again.

"Hm? So you're admitting the charge by default. Don't later accuse me of forcing a confession."

"N-no..."

In despair, the martial artist struggled and trembled, only to be knocked unconscious by a single punch from Cheng Yu.

"Next."

Cheng Yu looked to the side.

There stood the already trembling Liu Erniang, the proprietress of the Brotherhood Tavern.

"I heard that when you were learning how to run taverns, you deliberately lured a murderer in so he would kill the owner and rape his wife and daughter, all so you could rise to the top?"

Sweat poured off Liu Erniang like rain. She forced herself to stop trembling.

Having learned from the previous man's example, she suppressed her fear and lowered her voice.

"Lord Cheng, someone has slandered this humble woman! You are a good man. You must uphold justice for me."

Cheng Yu raised a brow.

"Terrifying. To stay calm at a time like this—you must be a habitual offender!"

Liu Erniang's eyes flew wide open.

"You demon!"

Shouting loudly did not work. Keeping silent did not work. Even speaking gently and calmly did not work?

Then did that not mean she would be forced to admit guilt no matter what?

Cheng Yu saw the despair in her eyes and turned back to the gathered Jinyiwei who were observing the lesson.

"Do you know what I'm doing?"

"No, my lord! Please instruct us!"

Cheng Yu was not annoyed by how righteously confident they sounded. After all, people had to be taught before they knew.

"I'm just toying with them."

His smile gradually turned cold as he struck the agitated Liu Erniang unconscious with a palm.

"I am telling all of you this: when we of the Jinyiwei handle matters and kill people, the moment we say they are guilty, then they are guilty!"

The gathered Jinyiwei stared at him as though they were beholding a divine being. They only felt some inexplicable emotion burning within them.

The Xiuchun Sabers at their waists and the Flying Fish Uniforms on their backs both seemed to grow heavier.

They looked at Cheng Yu with even deeper reverence.

Not even the greatest Jianghu sects in Great Qian had a teacher like Lord Cheng, one who would instruct them with such care!

Truly great!

[The host tirelessly instructs and carefully teaches, cultivating Jinyiwei talent. Reward granted: Coordinated Formation — Ghost Blade Five Absolutes Formation!]

Cheng Yu nodded in satisfaction. With this formation, the combat strength of the Jinyiwei under his command could increase yet again.

The efficiency of earning rewards fully automatically was still rising!

Just then, a Jinyiwei guard responsible for watching over Xiao Qian came to report.

"My lord, that woman is awake!"

Cheng Yu nodded. "If she's awake, then get ready to line up."

Line up? Line up?!

The eyes of the gathered Jinyiwei widened.

Cheng Yu raised a brow. "I meant line up to collect pills and equipment. After taking them, get ready to raid households! What were you all thinking?"