"What?!" The teacup in Second Aunt's hand shattered on the floor.
Chen Jinhua shot to her feet, only for her legs to give out, causing her to fall back into her seat.
Yang Tiezhu's eyes went wide, as if he had misheard.
Elder Chen grabbed Chen Wen's arm. "Speak clearly!"
"I just saw constables and a forensic doctor from the County Yamen running toward Baihua Lane..."
Chen Wen wiped away his sweat. "I asked Wang Er and found out. He said the Black Water Gang was massacred last night. The killer was incredibly vicious and ruthless, leaving no one alive. Even the leader, Jiang Hui, is dead..."
"That's wonderful!"
Upon hearing this, Chen Jinhua wept with joy.
Yang Tiezhu was also ecstatic, feeling as if a sword that had been hanging over his heart had finally fallen.
But the old master narrowed his eyes. "Xiaoheng didn't come home last night, and now the Black Water Gang has been annihilated..."
Chen Wen's Adam's apple bobbed. "It couldn't be Xiaoheng, could it...?"
CREAK!
The courtyard gate was pushed open again.
Chen Heng stealthily poked his head in. When he saw the entire courtyard full of people staring at him in unison, he froze on the spot.
'It's over!'
"Grand-Grandfather..."
Chen Heng stammered, "You're... all up so early?"
Second Aunt lunged forward. "Did you do what happened to the Black Water Gang?"
Chen Heng looked bewildered. "The Black Water Gang... what happened?"
"Shut up!"
Elder Chen barked. He quickly shut the courtyard gate, slid the bolt, then turned to stare intently at Chen Heng, his voice lowered to a whisper. "Tell your grandfather the truth. The entire Black Water Gang was slaughtered. Was it you...?"
A BOOM went off in Chen Heng's head.
'The Black Water Gang was wiped out?'
'How could I have that kind of power?'
But seeing the expectant looks in his family's eyes, he straightened his back as if possessed. "I... I did go see Senior Brother Lin..."
The words had barely left his mouth when Chen Jinhua threw herself at him, hugging him and crying, "Oh, Xiaoheng! You saved Hui Niang's life!"
He didn't dare take the blame for the murders himself.
Everyone present exchanged glances.
They hadn't expected Chen Heng's senior brother to be so ruthless.
Chen Jinhua, with tears and snot running down her face, said, "Xiaoheng, thank you so much for this. If it weren't for you, Hui Niang's life would have been ruined."
Yang Tiezhu was also full of gratitude. "This is all thanks to Xiaoheng."
Second Aunt was so smug her eyebrows practically flew off her face, tugging and shaking Second Uncle's sleeve.
Elder Chen was also very gratified, showing a hint of pride in him for the first time.
A warmth spread through Chen Heng's chest. He waved his hand, feigning nonchalance. "Big Aunt, it was nothing..."
Wiping her tears, Chen Jinhua said, "Your aunt never knew you were so capable!"
"Everyone, listen up."
Suddenly, Elder Chen's face grew solemn. "You will all take this secret to your graves. No one is to speak of this to outsiders..."
...
「The next afternoon.」
Chen Heng was still basking in his family's gratitude and admiration for his 'abilities'. He had just left the Guangchang Martial Arts Hall when two grim-faced government officials blocked his path.
"Chen Heng?"
The lead government official's gaze was like a hawk's as he scanned him from head to toe.
"That's me. How may I help you, Lord Imperial Envoy?"
Chen Heng's heart skipped a beat, but he forced himself to remain calm.
"Come with us. Captain He has some questions for you."
The government official's tone left no room for argument as they flanked him and grabbed his arms.
Chen Heng's face instantly turned pale. He struggled, saying, "Lord Imperial Envoy, I… what have I done? I'm a disciple of the Guangchang Martial Arts Hall…"
"Cut the crap! You'll find out when we get there!"
The government officials tightened their grip, and Chen Heng didn't dare resist.
Soon, the two of them brought him to the interrogation room.
In a secluded interrogation room in the back of the County Yamen, the light was dim, and the air was thick with the smell of blood and mildew.
He Kai stood with his back to the door, methodically wiping a Cow Tail Saber with a white cloth. The blade glinted with a sinister, cold light in the dim room.
"Captain of the Constabulary, we've brought the man."
The government official shoved Chen Heng forward.
Chen Heng staggered a few steps, nearly falling. He looked up just as He Kai slowly turned his face toward him.
His face was expressionless, his eyes fixed on Chen Heng—cold, cruel, and filled with undisguised scrutiny.
"Cap… Captain He?"
Chen Heng's voice trembled, and his knees began to knock together uncontrollably.
"Chen Heng."
He Kai's voice was low and hoarse. "Baihua Lane. The Black Water Gang. Slaughtered to the last man last night. You know about this, don't you?"
BOOM!
Chen Heng's mind went blank. He instinctively wanted to deny it, but his lips trembled so much he couldn't get a single word out.
"Speak!"
He Kai slammed his hand on the wooden table beside him. The CLANGING of torture instruments on the table startled Chen Heng out of his wits.
"I… I… I don't know, Captain!"
Chen Heng practically wailed, "The Black Water Gang… they… they were bullying my aunt's family! I… I just wanted to ask someone to mediate…"
"Mediate?"
He Kai sneered and slowly advanced, each step feeling like it was stomping on Chen Heng's heart. "Who did you ask? Lin Chong from the Guangchang Martial Arts Hall? Did you spend twenty taels on a 'tea money' fee?"
Chen Heng's entire body went rigid.
"And then?"
He Kai leaned in close to his ear. "And then your Senior Brother Lin showed his mighty power and wiped out the entire Black Water Gang for you? Hmm?"
"No! It wasn't him!"
Scared witless, Chen Heng shook his head frantically. "Senior Brother Lin… he only promised to ask about it, he never agreed to make a move! Really! I don't know who did it! I… I couldn't come up with the twenty taels yesterday, so I never even saw Senior Brother Lin! I… I hid outside all night! Please see the truth, Captain!"
"See the truth?"
The fury in He Kai's eyes flared. "Do you take me for a fool? You ask someone to look into the Black Water Gang, and the next thing you know, they're uprooted! You're telling me that's a coincidence?!"
Before his voice faded, He Kai suddenly lifted his leg and landed a powerful, heavy kick right in Chen Heng's chest!
PUFF!
As if struck by a heavy hammer, Chen Heng let out a wretched cry and flew backward, slamming hard against the cold stone wall. A sweet taste filled his throat, and he violently coughed up a mouthful of blood.
He didn't even see how the other man had struck.
The furious strike of a Dark Energy Expert was simply not something a martial arts hall disciple like him, who had just barely reached the threshold of Manifest Force, could withstand.
"Useless trash!" He Kai spat, his face filled with contempt and rage.
As he looked at Chen Heng, a trace of doubt arose in his mind.
'This kid is trembling like an autumn leaf in the wind. He couldn't even take one of my moves. His breath is weak, his steps are light... he's just a greenhorn who's barely touched the threshold of Manifest Force. Forget about killing Jiang Hui; the other two leaders of the Black Water Gang could have easily taken care of him.'
He Kai came to a conclusion: this piece of trash wasn't the killer. He didn't even have what it takes to be the killer.
'So who is the real killer?'
'Was it Lin Chong? Did he do it for money? But for a mere twenty taels, would it be worth annihilating a gang with three Manifest Force experts, a gang that might also have connections to other powers?'
'The elite disciples of the Guangchang Martial Arts Hall aren't that stupid.'
'Was it another enemy? The Black Water Gang was only recently established. What kind of deep-seated hatred could they have?'
'Or was it some expert who did it on a whim?'
'Never mind whether I could even find them; even if I did, since they dared to do it, they probably wouldn't be afraid of a mere County Yamen Captain.'
'What if they're a powerful outsider, a 'river-crossing dragon,' or... simply a 'Cleaner Fish' for some big shot from the Inner City?'
'This uniform of mine is worth less than a fart in front of a true expert or a powerful noble!'
'If I keep digging, not only might I get burned and expose my own dirty dealings with the Black Water Gang, but I might also provoke someone I can't afford to.'
'Is it worth risking my own future, or even my life, for a dead Jiang Hui and a bunch of his lackeys?'
He Kai instantly calculated the costs and benefits.
The hand gripping Chen Heng's hair unconsciously loosened its grip.
The violence in his eyes receded like a tide, leaving only calculation behind.
'This piece of trash is, after all, a disciple of the Guangchang Martial Arts Hall.'
'The Guangchang Martial Arts Hall is deeply rooted in Gaolin County, and its master is an honored guest of certain big shots in the Inner City.'
"Hmph!"
He Kai flung Chen Heng's head aside as if tossing away a dirty rag.
Chen Heng's head hit the ground hard. His vision went black, and he almost passed out.
"I doubt you'd dare to break the law."
He paused, his casual tone laced with a warning:
"The Government Office will handle the Black Water Gang's affairs. A piece of trash like you should crawl back to your Martial Arts Hall and practice your fists. Stop causing trouble out here, and don't... get clever and take credit for things you didn't do. If this Captain hears you're meddling in things you shouldn't be..."
He Kai didn't finish his sentence, merely letting out a cold "hmph."
"Get out!"
That single word was like a pardon.
The two government officials beside him immediately understood. They roughly hauled up the noodle-limp Chen Heng and dragged him out of the cold interrogation room like a dead dog, dumping him directly onto the icy stone steps outside the County Yamen's back door.
...