The innkeeper trembled all over, his hands and feet ice-cold.
"My lord, this humble one does not know, I truly do not know!"
"Please spare me, my lord! I really do not know!"
Ning Chuan released the innkeeper, who dropped to his knees and begged for mercy without pause.
The commotion here was immense and drew everyone in the inn over. Seeing Ning Chuan dressed in an Imperial Guard uniform, they only dared watch from afar.
Clang!
Ning Chuan tossed two gleaming silver ingots onto the floor and swept his gaze across the onlookers.
"Anyone who provides a useful lead will receive twenty taels of silver!"
"If the lead proves true and helps me find my younger brother and sister, there will be another hundred taels of silver!"
"But if anyone fabricates false information and delays me from saving them—"
Bang! Ning Chuan stomped his foot, shattering the blue bricks beneath it and making the ground tremble faintly.
"A martial artist!"
The crowd cried out in alarm. Those harboring ill intentions immediately abandoned their thoughts.
Ning Chuan then publicly described his younger brother and sister's appearances and related circumstances.
The crowd erupted into noisy discussion.
"This reward is far too generous!"
"Think quickly! Have you seen any suspicious people or suspicious events?"
Ning Chuan's eyes swept over the crowd, observing the changes in their expressions.
He drew his long saber with a clang and pointed it at the onlookers.
"Everyone return to your rooms. Without this official's permission, no one may leave the inn. Any violator will be killed without mercy!"
He then took out his Imperial Guard badge and had the innkeeper go to the Imperial Guard office to find Lord Xiao Lian and ask her to send people over to help.
The guests all returned to their rooms. Ning Chuan stood guard at the entrance, allowing no one to enter or leave.
Half a quarter-hour later, a burst of dense footsteps sounded. Xiao Lian entered with nine Imperial Guards.
"Thank you, Lord Xiao Lian. Thank you, fellow colleagues!"
Ning Chuan hurried forward to greet them. He had not expected Lord Xiao Lian to personally lead the team and bring all her men.
Xiao Lian gave a cold snort and shot Ning Chuan a sidelong glance, looking as though she could not stand the sight of him.
The other colleagues, however, wore friendly smiles and stepped forward to greet Ning Chuan warmly.
"Haha... so you're the new brother. You'll have to drink a few cups with me later!"
"Haha... we're all colleagues, no need to be so polite!"
Several of them threw their arms around his shoulders as if they were brothers reunited after years apart.
Anyone who could make it in the Imperial Guard was shrewd. Lord Leng personally recommending Ning Chuan had long since spread throughout the Imperial Guard.
"Have you said enough? Lives are at stake, and you still aren't working!"
Xiao Lian barked, and the nine men hastily straightened up, lining up neatly like obedient children.
"One group, seal off the inn and question every guest one by one!"
"One group, canvass the surrounding area and investigate suspicious individuals!"
"One group, examine the scene and search for clues!"
Xiao Lian made her arrangements swiftly, her thinking exceedingly clear. One look told Ning Chuan that she was a seasoned investigator, easing his heart somewhat.
It seemed big breasts did not necessarily mean no brains!
"Yes!"
The nine men answered in unison, swiftly dividing into three groups and beginning their work.
In a large room, Xiao Lian sat high in the seat of honor while Ning Chuan stood at her side. The guests entered one after another to be questioned.
After questioning more than a dozen people in succession without finding any useful clues, Ning Chuan grew anxious, and killing intent rose in his heart.
Xiao Lian seemed to sense Ning Chuan's impatience and quickened the pace as well.
"Next one, move faster!"
Xiao Lian shouted coldly. A little old man in green rushed in at a jog, nearly tripping over the doorframe.
His gaze is shifty, his expression panicked, and his movements suspicious!
Ning Chuan had just formed this thought when he turned to look at Xiao Lian. She was looking back at him, and their gazes met.
Ning Chuan nodded and revealed a faint smile, though it was somewhat forced.
Xiao Lian turned her head away, her face neither pleased nor displeased, though she was startled inwardly.
Did this brat see something too?
"Who are you?"
Xiao Lian's authoritative voice rang out.
"This commoner, Li Daniu, greets you, my lord!"
The old man in green trembled as he hurriedly knelt, lowering his head deeply.
"Where are you from, and what do you do?" Xiao Lian frowned.
"This humble one is from Hanshan Town and came to the county city to trade cloth."
"Which room are you staying in?"
"This commoner is staying in Earth Room Eight!"
Ning Chuan's gaze sharpened. He was staying in Earth Room Seven, and this old man was right next door!
"Have you seen Ning Chuan's younger brother and sister?"
"No, no!" The old man in green hurriedly waved his hands in denial, his expression panicked.
"Bold! You dare lie to this official? If you did not see them, why are you so flustered?"
"This humble one, this humble one..."
The old man in green turned deathly pale and stammered.
Xiao Lian flew into a rage and slammed the table.
"Men, give him fifty strokes of the rod!"
Two Imperial Guards outside rolled up their sleeves high and entered, each carrying a thick wooden club.
They glared fiercely, the muscles on their exposed forearms knotted like coiling dragons, their clenched fists cracking loudly.
This was a common trick the Imperial Guard used to frighten criminals.
The old man in green's pupils contracted sharply, and he collapsed onto the floor in terror.
"Oh, Mother! Fifty blows of those clubs, and this old life of mine will probably be finished!"
Forget it, forget it. If I speak now, I may still live a few more days!
As the old man in green stood there lost and dazed, four large hands pressed down on his shoulders, jolting him with fright.
He immediately cried out, "My lord, this commoner will confess! This commoner will confess!"
"Speak!"
"Speak!"
Ning Chuan and Xiao Lian shouted in unison.
Ning Chuan could wait no longer. The old man in green clearly knew something.
If he dared waste any more time, Ning Chuan would surely let him taste torture.
The old man in green gritted his teeth and said in a trembling voice:
"About an hour ago, this commoner was sleeping in his room when he heard movement next door."
"This commoner secretly looked through the crack in the door and happened to see someone knock out two children and carry them away in sacks!"
"This old man has seen that person before. He is Hei Er, the deputy gang leader of the Black Tiger Gang. There can be no mistake!"
After the old man in green finished speaking, a miserable look appeared on his face.
"It's over. I've offended the Black Tiger Gang. I'm finished too!"
The instant the old man in green finished speaking, a tremendous bang rang out. The wall was smashed open with a man-sized hole, and Ning Chuan's voice came from outside.
"Thank you, Lord Xiao Lian. Ning Chuan will take his leave first!"
Xiao Lian's pupils shrank.
This brat has become this powerful after only a few days apart?
Then she shouted loudly.
"Imperial Guard, assemble! We are heading to the Black Tiger Gang!"
In the south of the city, the Black Tiger Gang's main hall was brightly lit by candles, with incense smoke curling through the air.
Upon a large Eight Immortals table stood a memorial tablet reading, "Memorial Tablet of Gang Leader Lord Black Tiger."
Beneath the tablet lay two unconscious children, one boy and one girl, their hands and feet bound and their mouths gagged.
Hei Er, the deputy gang leader of the Black Tiger Gang, wore mourning clothes and knelt at the very front.
Behind him stood the hall masters of the eight great halls, followed by sixteen underlings.
Hei Er thought of how he had lost his parents as a child, how his elder brother Black Tiger had raised him, and how the two brothers had depended on each other. Every scene remained vivid before his eyes.
The pain in his heart was higher than the heavens!
The hatred in his heart was deeper than the sea!
He clenched his fists, gritted his teeth until they crackled, and tears poured down his face like spring water.
"Big Brother, who would have thought that after leaving, you would die at the hands of that despicable villain Ning Chuan!"
"Today, your little brother will first use Ning Chuan's younger brother and sister as sacrifices in your honor. Another day, I will personally cut down Ning Chuan and avenge you!"
He swore that no matter how powerful Ning Chuan was, he would tear off his head, chop it into meat paste, and feed it to dogs.
"Avenge the gang leader!"
"Avenge the gang leader!"
Everyone in the Black Tiger Gang wore grief-stricken, indignant expressions and shouted passionately, wishing they could devour Ning Chuan alive.
Amid the crowd's cries, Hei Er took a dagger and walked toward the two children on the ground.
"Ning Chuan, today I'll first collect a little interest from your younger brother and sister!"
The dagger in Hei Er's hand gleamed brightly, reflecting his cruel, savage grin!
Before you continue