Raid the Execution Ground

2024-07-31

Raid the Execution Ground

Along the way, there was no repeat of the prison-cart raid. They arrived smoothly at the execution ground at the entrance to the bustling streets.

By then, the place had long been packed with spectators, who pointed and discussed the major criminals being marched onto the execution platform.

When Liu Xiangnan was escorted up, the clamor below suddenly swelled.

"They can't kill him! Hero Liu is a man of great righteousness—he must not be killed!"

"Sir Official, have mercy! Let Hero Liu go!"

"He's been wronged!"

Song Changming watched the public sentiment below boil over, revealing just how beloved Liu Xiangnan was.

Yet the pleas of these commoners were useless. They could not decide whether major criminals lived or died.

"The hour of noon has arrived. Execute them at once!" the Execution Supervisor ordered.

Several burly executioners raised the Great Cleavers in their hands.

Song Changming stood beneath the execution platform, surrounded by a large group of patrol guards. They eyed the crowds beyond the barricades like tigers watching prey.

Intimidated by the patrol guards maintaining order, the people were agitated but did not dare act rashly.

If they got too close or acted too impulsively, those patrol guards would not show mercy beneath their blades.

Just as Song Changming also felt that no miracle would occur, several streaks of light suddenly shot out from the crowd.

Song Changming narrowed his eyes and looked toward the execution platform. The streaks were throwing knives.

The Great Cleaver in the executioner's hand, the one assigned to Liu Xiangnan, was struck precisely by the flying knives and sent flying from his grasp.

At the critical moment, Liu Xiangnan's life was temporarily spared!

"Someone is raiding the execution ground!"

The sudden upheaval startled even the Execution Supervisor.

The next moment, a hearty laugh rang out.

"Liu Xiangnan, after not seeing you for years, how did you fall so low?"

Song Changming followed the sound. At the rear of the crowd, a man in white sat casually atop a large sedan chair, his arms folded around his sword as he smiled at Liu Xiangnan on the execution platform.

He had a fair face and an unrestrained air, a handsome man carrying a touch of the jianghu about him.

There was no need to guess. The throwing knives had come from him.

As everyone's attention fell upon that man, a group of masked men with headscarves suddenly rushed out from the crowd. Their movements were nimble as black panthers, and they effortlessly vaulted over the barricades.

Clang!

The patrol guards immediately drew their blades to meet the enemy. Song Changming raised a brow and likewise moved to intercept a masked man.

As their blade and sword collided, the masked man gathered his breath and borrowed the force to flip over Song Changming's head.

The masked man landed on the execution platform and slashed apart the chain on Liu Xiangnan's shackles.

"Brother Liu, you have suffered. Today, we are taking you away!" the masked man said in a deep voice.

Before Liu Xiangnan could speak, Liang Chuanshan and Zhao Dezhi, who were near the execution platform, had already drawn their blades and rushed over.

Raiding an execution ground was a grave crime. Every one of these masked men would be a substantial merit if captured.

By then, even more masked men had rushed onto the execution platform, holding off the patrol guards.

Every one of these masked men was highly capable. They were martial artists able to wield blade intent and sword intent, and they coordinated with one another rather than fighting as a scattered rabble.

Even Liang Chuanshan and the other Patrol Captains could not take down these masked men for the moment.

"Fire!" the old Director, personally overseeing the scene, ordered coldly.

On both sides of the execution platform, two rows of patrol guards raised hand crossbows and bows, aiming at the platform.

At that moment, someone among the masked men threw out several smoke bombs.

Thick black smoke immediately billowed out, rapidly spreading across the entire execution platform and its surroundings, throwing the scene into even greater chaos. Someone shouted that the smoke was poisonous, sending the spectators into a panic as they scattered in all directions.

The masked men also blended into the crowd and fled with them.

Song Changming covered his nose and mouth and held his breath. When he turned to look at the sedan chair again, the white-clad swordsman was nowhere to be seen.

Clearly, this group that had raided the execution ground had planned everything meticulously. Compared to the earlier prison-cart raid, they were far more thorough and far more capable.

In truth, the black smoke only looked frightening. It was not poisonous.

At least, once the smoke dispersed, Song Changming did not see anyone felled by poison.

The other major criminals were still on the execution platform. Only Liu Xiangnan had been taken away.

"Pursue them! Recover the criminal at all costs!" The old Director's expression darkened to the extreme.

He had never imagined that, before stepping down, such a mess would erupt.

After hastily beheading the other major criminals, the Patrol Guard Team mobilized and began searching through the streets and alleys.

Song Changming keenly noticed that a group of Gold Trimmed Patrol from the General Directorate were also present, hunting the masked men. Yet this time, they too appeared to have underestimated the masked men's ability to act, failing to capture them on the spot.

The people who had raided the execution ground had long prepared their route of retreat, fleeing the execution ground as quickly as possible.

In a deserted alley, several masked men raced past. One of them carried the rescued Liu Xiangnan on his back.

"Brother Liu, hold on a little longer. Once we leave the city, we'll be safe!" said the masked man.

"The crime of raiding the execution ground is too grave." Liu Xiangnan spoke with guilt in his heart, his voice dry and hoarse.

"You saved all our lives, Brother Liu. Why say such things? Do you take us so lightly? They are only a few charges—are we the sort who fear death?" the masked man said rapidly.

Liu Xiangnan opened his mouth, but in the end said nothing more. He only offered his thanks, engraving the other man's kindness in his heart.

Unlike before, the will to die in his heart had faded greatly.

He no longer sought release through death. He wanted to redeem himself.

For that, he first needed to stay alive.

Buzz!

Several crossbow bolts suddenly shot down from the rooftops, catching them off guard.

Several Gold Trimmed Patrol from the General Directorate appeared, blocking their path.

"Kill!" After deflecting the bolts, the masked men charged without hesitation.

Ordinary Gold Trimmed Patrol from the General Directorate were indeed formidable, but they were still no match for these masked jianghu fighters.

That was until a burly figure, like a giant, appeared. The situation immediately took a turn for the worse.

Had Song Changming been present, he would certainly have recognized him.

The towering man blocking the alley like an iron tower was Lu Zheng, the Capital City Patrol Captain who had previously handled the transfer of the major criminals.

Using only his fists, he sent several masked men flying after just a few exchanges.

The masked men hit the ground, seemingly suffering serious internal injuries as they coughed up blood without end.

Lu Zheng swept a sidelong glance over the masked men, his brows and eyes filled with indifference and killing intent.

"The fooling around is over. You have committed treason and defied the law. All of you deserve death!"

As Lu Zheng spoke and was about to step closer, several throwing knives seemed to fall from the heavens, shooting toward him and halting the Patrol Captain.

"Go!" Seeing the throwing knives, the masked men breathed a sigh of relief and dragged their injured bodies toward the other side at speed.

The handsome man in white, who had previously sat atop the sedan chair, drifted down from a rooftop nearby.

"Come, trade a few moves with me." The man in white chuckled, looking at Lu Zheng without the slightest fear.

Lu Zheng narrowed his eyes, killing intent surging as he said coldly, "Carefree Sword, Zhao Dongming!"