Chapter 403 - 239: The Truth Comes Out

Chapter 403: Chapter 239: The Truth Comes Out

A flash of crimson bloomed on his throat, with fresh blood trickling down his shackles.

The man’s eyes widened in utter disbelief.

’You son of a bitch, you could’ve at least asked a few more questions!’

Filled with bitter resentment, the man collapsed. He twitched twice, then fell still.

"Su Mu, how dare you!"

Li Dangsen and his companions were furious.

’To butcher an innocent man so brutally, right before our very eyes!’

’Does he have no regard for us at all?’

"Men, seize him!"

The retired old officials all roared in fury.

The guards behind them stepped forward.

"The Taiping Bureau is conducting business. Obstruct us, and you will be killed without mercy!"

Luo Anning drew her longsword and stood guard behind Su Mu, her face radiating killing intent as she yelled.

The other men from Songjiang Prefecture’s Taiping Bureau quickly moved to Luo Anning’s side, forming a line to block the guards.

Tensions flared, threatening to erupt at any moment.

But Su Mu seemed completely unfazed. He walked directly over to the second prisoner.

"How many members of the Pure Land Sect are in Songjiang Prefecture?"

He asked coldly.

"I don’t—"

The man, his face a mask of terror, opened his mouth to speak.

SWISH!

A blade flashed.

’I was going to say I don’t know, not that I wouldn’t talk!’

His eyes filled with regret, the man collapsed to the ground with a THUD.

"Outrageous! Simply outrageous!"

An old man, trembling with rage, bellowed, "Go! All of you, go! I will take full responsibility for any and all consequences!

Today, I will see to it that this cruel and merciless whelp is brought to justice!"

The guards exchanged uncertain glances.

Though they were skilled, they honestly had no desire to cross blades with the Taiping Bureau.

But with their old master’s command, letting Su Mu continue his killing spree would be hard to justify.

"My apologies, sirs!"

The leader of the guards, a True Essence Realm cultivator, cupped his fist. With a step forward, he reached for the longsword in Luo Anning’s hand.

"Insolent!"

Shi Ziran blurred into motion, slashing out with his saber.

In that instant, all the guards charged, trying to stop Su Mu’s killing.

Luo Anning and her men met the charge, and the two sides instantly clashed.

Wu Yiqi glanced left, then right, his face a picture of resignation.

’He was the truly innocent one here, wasn’t he?’

He had traveled a great distance to take up his new post in Songjiang Prefecture, only to be caught up in this mess before he’d even set foot in the city.

’So who was he supposed to help?’

Wu Yiqi gritted his teeth and made his decision: he would stand with the Taiping Bureau.

’From what I know of Su Mu, the man is ruthless but not one to kill indiscriminately. As long as you don’t cross him, he’s generally quite reasonable.’

’Most importantly, Su Mu was a powerhouse.’

Wu Yiqi stepped forward and sent one of the men attacking Luo Anning flying with a single kick.

Li Dangsen and the others were speechless.

"Inspector Wu, you’re attacking the wrong people!"

Li Dangsen cried out.

"I didn’t. Attacking the Taiping Bureau is a crime punishable by death."

Wu Yiqi said in a booming voice.

Everyone was stunned. ’Wait, Su Mu arrested your own brother, and you still can’t tell friend from foe?’

While the chaotic brawl erupted, Su Mu had already reached the third prisoner.

"I’ll talk! I’ll tell you everything!"

The man had already pissed his pants in terror.

’This Su Mu was too damn vicious.’

’He kills people without a moment’s hesitation.’

"We’re all outer disciples of the Pure Land Sect! I swear I don’t know how many members there are in Songjiang Prefecture. I just know that there was one wave of assassins that came after you, and there’s another. I don’t know where they’re hiding."

Without waiting for Su Mu to ask, the man spilled everything in a rush. "I only just joined the Pure Land Sect! They promised me riches and glory, and I was tempted! I swear I haven’t had the chance to do anything bad yet."

The man was a mess of tears and snot.

The faces of the remaining prisoners had gone deathly pale.

’Damn it, you’ve said everything! What’s left for us to say?’

’You’re really throwing us under the bus to save your own skin! You don’t care if we live or die!’

"I have a tip!"

One man shouted frantically, "The second branch of the Lu Family is in contact with the Pure Land Sect! I heard the Second Master of the Lu Family even funded them with five thousand taels of silver!"

"And the Li Family! A leader from the Pure Land Sect slept with their eldest daughter!"

"I have crucial information too..."

The men Shi Ziran had captured now scrambled over one another to shout.

They yelled at the top of their lungs, terrified Su Mu wouldn’t hear them and equally terrified of being outdone by their comrades.

’Anyone whose information was worthless was a dead man.’

’They had joined the Pure Land Sect for riches and glory, not to die for it.’

’Besides, they were just outer disciples. They hadn’t even reaped any of the rewards yet. Why should they throw their lives away for the Pure Land Sect?’

Even as Li Dangsen and the others watched the brawl, they had kept one eye on Su Mu.

And so, they heard every single word the prisoners shouted.

Suddenly, everyone froze.

’The Pure Land Sect?’

’These men... they’re really from the Pure Land Sect?’

In that moment, a chilling realization washed over them, as if they’d been plunged into an icy cavern.

’If these men really were from the Pure Land Sect, it meant that everything Su Mu had done... was absolutely right!’

’And they, in contrast, were the ones making baseless trouble—the lawless thugs obstructing the Taiping Bureau from enforcing the law?’

"You all heard that!"

Wu Yiqi bellowed, "These men are all followers of the Pure Land Sect! They’re fiends!

So stand down!"

He sent a guard stumbling backward with a kick.

The guards froze, exchanging panicked glances.

The old official who had just proclaimed he would bear all consequences instinctively tried to shrink back into the crowd.

"Who was it just now who said they’d take full responsibility?"

He tried to shrink away, but Su Mu had no intention of letting him off the hook.

"I—"

As all eyes fell on him, an awkward expression spread across the old man’s face.

"It was a mis—"

"Seize him!"

Su Mu cut him off, his voice cold.

"Yes, sir!"

Two Taiping Captains lunged like hungry wolves, instantly twisting the old man’s arms behind his back.

"Su Mu! I’m an Imperial Censor! I’m innocent!"

"Lord Su, it’s a misunderstanding! This is all a misunderstanding!"

"Lord Su, I was wrong!"

The old man’s cries echoed in the stunned silence.

Everyone watched as the Taiping Captains dragged him away, yet not a single person dared to utter a word of protest.

Li Dangsen’s forehead was beaded with cold sweat.

’Members of the Pure Land Sect had instigated an attack on the Taiping Bureau, and he, the Prefect, had sided with them against the Taiping Bureau!’

’At best, he was blind, muddle-headed, and incompetent.’

’At worst... having his assets seized and his entire clan exterminated would be a light sentence.’

"I—I—"

Li Dangsen’s face was deathly pale, his lips trembling.

"Lord Li, I’ve only just arrived to take up my post as Inspector, and you’ve already presented me with such a generous ’gift’."

Wu Yiqi said, his face cold. "You’d best think long and hard about how you’re going to explain today’s events to the Inspection Bureau!"

The Inspection Bureau’s mandate was to oversee all officials; investigating Li Dangsen was well within his rights.

"Yang Yungzhong."

Su Mu gave Li Dangsen a single glance before dismissing him, turning instead to the shackled Yang Yungzhong.

"Do you now understand how the Taiping Bureau ought to act?"

Su Mu said.

"I do!"

Yang Yungzhong declared, his blood surging with excitement.

"I’ll give you a chance to redeem yourself."

Su Mu said coolly, "Use the information these men have provided to root out every last Pure Land Sect follower hiding in Songjiang Prefecture.

Investigate every family with any connection to the Pure Land Sect. Leave no one un-examined.

As for any leads that go beyond Songjiang Prefecture—"

Su Mu suddenly looked up, just in time to see a party of people hastening toward them from the distance.

"—for those within Xiangzhou’s borders, you will have the assistance of Governor Fu Qingzhu."

Su Mu continued, "Can you do it?"

"I guarantee it will be done! If I fail, I, Yang Yungzhong, will present you with my head!"

Yang Yungzhong declared.

’This was how the Taiping Bureau was meant to be. Lord Su was right; he and the others had brought nothing but shame to the Bureau’s name!’

Yang Yungzhong clenched his fists, his blood running hot.

’From now on, I will be a true Taiping Captain!’

...

Fu Qingzhu and his retinue galloped toward Songjiang Prefecture. As they neared, he saw the crowd gathered at the city gate. The sight of corpses and blood on the ground made his heart sink.

Then he saw Li Dangsen, the Prefect of Songjiang Prefecture, and the retired old officials. They all looked utterly bereaved, a far cry from the arrogant figures he had expected.

"Can someone tell me, what on earth happened here?"

Fu Qingzhu asked, completely bewildered.