Interrogation

Jia Kui heard Xiang Yang's words and shot him a cold glare. "What? Your Green Wolf Gang was the first to make a move against the Little Knife Society, and now you still aren't satisfied?"

Though that was what he said, Jia Kui's tone had softened. After all, he was a man of status and standing in Anyuan, with Qian Fu, the master of Fierce Tiger Martial Arts Hall, behind him. His backing was solid enough. Even if the Green Wolf Gang dared strike at the Little Knife Society, surely they would not dare do anything to him.

Xiang Yang nodded outwardly, but inwardly he rejoiced. From beginning to end, he had not revealed his identity. Huang Peng had called him Constable Xiang only in a whisper, so Jia Kui had not heard.

"You needn't concern yourself with that. Let me ask you first: you are a martial instructor at Fierce Tiger Martial Arts Hall, second only to Qian Fu. By all rights, you are a respected expert. Why did you collude with the Little Knife Society to commit such wicked, heaven-damning deeds? Aren't you afraid Hall Master Qian will cast you out of his school?"

Xiang Yang asked without giving anything away. Since Jia Kui had misunderstood, he might as well let the mistake stand. He would give the man the illusion that he might be spared, then swindle out what he wanted to know first.

Jia Kui hesitated slightly, his eyes flickering. He felt that the Green Wolf Gang would not dare risk universal condemnation by offending Qian Fu. Only then did he slowly speak.

"Cast me out? Do you know that everything I have done this time was ordered by Senior Brother Qian from behind the scenes? He is the one cooperating with the Little Knife Society.

"Little brother, let me advise you: the Little Knife Society is nothing, and killing these few people is nothing either. Though your Green Wolf Gang is one of Anyuan's three great gangs, if you offend Senior Brother Qian, there is only one road ahead—death.

"Release me, and I'll put in a good word for you. Song Qing may want to die, but you're still so young. There's no need for you to be buried alongside him."

Xiang Yang gave a soft laugh, contempt showing on his face. A defeated man, bound on the ground and unable to move either hands or feet, could barely protect himself, yet he still wanted to turn him with such clumsy tongue-work? Did he really think Xiang Yang was young and easy to bully?

"Jia Kui, I know perfectly well what I'm doing. I don't need you worrying over me. Keep talking. What exactly is the connection between Qian Fu and the Little Knife Society? Why would he abandon his proper role as a martial arts hall master to engage in this illegal business? Is he tired of living?"

Xiang Yang showed no politeness. He splashed the cup of water in his hand over Jia Kui and spoke in a colder voice. He looked every inch the villain; if someone had peeked in through the door at that moment, the one they would have wanted to beat would certainly have been Xiang Yang, not Jia Kui, who lay bound on the ground in such a weak position.

Creak, creak. Jia Kui clenched both fists, the veins on his forehead bulging as fury blazed from his eyes. Ever since he had completed his training, who had ever dared treat him like this? The last person to curse him had had all four limbs broken. Today, a tiger had fallen onto the plains.

Still, Jia Kui could see that Xiang Yang was no good man. Though young, he was a ruthless and vicious sort.

"I don't know the details. I only know that Senior Brother Qian went traveling several years ago. When he returned, he became secretive and mysterious. Not only had his martial arts advanced tremendously—he could toy with me in the palm of one hand—but he would also disappear for stretches of time.

"Later, more than a year ago, Senior Brother Qian established contact with An Qinglong. He often purchased young boys and girls from the Little Knife Society, then transported them out of the area through special, hidden channels.

"After that, Senior Brother Qian generally stopped showing himself, and I was the one who dealt with An Qinglong. That is all I know."

Hearing Jia Kui's words, Xiang Yang's expression shifted between light and dark. At times he ground his teeth; at others, he sighed helplessly. Others might have found this confusing and drawn no connection from it, but Xiang Yang was seventy percent certain that Qian Fu was the mastermind behind Xiang Da Niu's murder.

First, there was Qian Fu's martial arts. Such a sudden leap in skill could not have happened for no reason. Either he had encountered a fortunate opportunity, or he had someone backing him—just like Hu Qiang, who had gained Divine Power after coming into contact with that great force.

Then there was Qian Fu's mystery and his periodic disappearances. According to Xiang Yang's guess, eighty percent of the time he had been going to contact low-level people like Hu Qiang and assign them tasks—for instance, ordering Hu Qiang to murder Xiang Da Niu.

Finally, Qian Fu had bought so many trafficked children and shipped them elsewhere. Where were they being sent?

One, sold as heirs to people unable to have children. Two, sold to wealthy households as servants. Three, used as reserve talent for certain special forces. Four, various other possibilities.

As had already been said, the force Hu Qiang belonged to was enormously vast. And a great force could never do without manpower—much less diehard loyalists indoctrinated and trained from childhood. The destination of those children was not difficult to imagine.

Taking everything together, Xiang Yang felt there was more than a seventy percent chance that Qian Fu was the man he sought. Wang Ying and Li Zhizhi's steward, Steward Fang, seemed far less suspicious. Of course, this was only a fleeting conjecture in his mind.

"I've told you everything I know. You should release me now. What happened here cannot be kept from Senior Brother Qian. You cannot imagine how terrifying he is."

Xiang Yang's battle with Jia Kui had been roughly a four-six split. Xiang Yang's martial arts were superior, but his lack of experience had weakened his actual fighting strength. Yet even if he made up for those shortcomings, he would find it difficult to contend with the terrifying Qian Fu Jia Kui described. They might not even be on the same level.

"Damn it, it's always like this. Looks like I'll have to outwit him again. Should I drug him, or should I drug him?"

After learning about Qian Fu from Jia Kui, Xiang Yang had already decided that Qian Fu would be his next target. Better to kill the wrong man than let the right one go. In any case, Qian Fu was no good bird. Helping An Qinglong traffic people alone made him deserve death a thousand times over.

"Kill him first. If it turns out afterward that he's the man, everyone will be happy. If not, then I'll have ruled one person out and can focus on investigating Wang Ying and Steward Fang."

Xiang Yang made his decision in an instant. A smile returned to his face as he glanced at Jia Kui, who had sold Qian Fu out cleanly. He despised the man's spinelessness, but his expression remained exceedingly cordial. After considering his wording, he said kindly, "Master Jia, I saw that your Tiger Subduing Fist Style was fierce and mighty, and that each strike carried traces of inner force. Why not tell me the fist manual and your internal cultivation method as well? Your little brother here is half a martial arts fanatic. Once I have learned your martial arts, I can count as your disciple. Once everything has been confirmed, I will certainly release you, Master Jia."

"You little thief! You actually covet my martial arts—you deserve to die!"

Jia Kui had not expected this boy to set his sights on his martial arts as well, much less that he knew Jia Kui possessed a method of breathing and cultivating internal energy. Anger rose within him. He truly was fish on the chopping block now, left to be butchered at another's whim.

But the situation was against him. He had already sold Qian Fu out completely, so selling out Fierce Tiger Martial Arts Hall once more no longer mattered. The only one he felt sorry for was his master, Qian Changming, Old Hero Qian. In the end, he could only hope Xiang Yang would keep his word.

There was no helping it. He had no standing to bargain with Xiang Yang now.

"Besides its forms and combat techniques, the Tiger Subduing Fist Style also has a method for directing force. It has always been passed verbally from master to disciple, taught hand in hand. It is not realistic to teach it to you in a short time. The Breathing Technique is less troublesome, though its cultivation method is still rather complex. Bring me paper and brush, and I'll write it down for you."

Xiang Yang nodded. The few martial arts he had learned were all quite extraordinary as well. Without the miraculous effects of the heavenly book, it would have been absolutely impossible to master them in a short time.

"Fine. I'll prepare paper and brush. And as for the Tiger Subduing Fist Style, I am determined to have it. You can draw out the moves and write down the method from memory. The moment you finish, I'll release you."

Jia Kui's eyelids twitched. He nodded silently, his thoughts utterly unreadable.