Manhunt

Chapter 44: Search and Seizure

The slums, in essence, were an area designated by Changhe County for refugees, beggars, and unregistered individuals without household registration.

There were no constables patrolling regularly, nor the sound of night watchmen dealing with filth and waste late at night.

Even during the day, the light seemed to be squeezed out by the densely packed, dilapidated houses. Within this vast area, there was no concept of streets.

The alleys for walking were astonishingly narrow, sometimes making it difficult for two people to walk side by side.

As Lin Mo led the way, followed by three registered disciples, they slowly entered this alley. His gaze was fixed on their surroundings; ambushes from such corners would be extremely difficult to deal with.

"Senior Brother Lin, people can hide in a place like this?"

Perhaps from a wealthy family, a young man in a blue martial arts uniform lagged behind, his nostrils flaring and his steps extremely cautious.

The ground under their feet was muddy, and after the rain, it was like a swamp mixed with unidentified filth. A slight misstep could send one tumbling face-first.

"Not only is it a good place to hide people, but it's also a good place for ambushes. Everyone be cautious and report any situations immediately..."

Lin Mo soothed them, his eyes mostly scanning the figures peeking out from the dilapidated houses. These were the local refugees, sallow-faced with unnervingly deep-set eyes.

He stopped and walked to a crossroads where there were more refugees. This area was slightly more open, at least enough to stretch one's arms.

Lin Mo looked at the surrounding refugees, secretly contemplating and making a simple decision.

The refugees almost filled this area. If it were a martial artist, they would be very conspicuous, and any attempt to hide would likely be noticed.

Lin Mo took out a piece of broken silver. It didn't need to be much, just enough to pique the interest of these refugees.

He jingled the silver in his hand and asked loudly into the crowd of refugees, "I am a martial artist from Changhe Martial Arts School, ordered to apprehend a fugitive suspect here. Have any individuals disguised or behaving unusually come here these past few days? Those with information will be rewarded with two pieces of silver."

As soon as he spoke, he flashed the silver, immediately drawing the attention of many eyes from the dark, dilapidated houses. Whispers erupted below.

Lin Mo spoke without any concealment. In this place, if he could alert the target and scare them away early, martial artists would be searching inside and outside the city. It would be better than fighting in this small area.

At worst, he could glean some useful information and search bit by bit.

Even if ambushed, with the help of his [Insightful Eye], as long as the attacker wasn't a Third Stage Practitioner, Lin Mo was confident he could handle it.

He could defeat a Second Level Entry practitioner within three to five moves. A Minor Accomplishment would only be a bit more troublesome and strenuous. As for Major Accomplishment or Perfection, he hadn't fought them yet.

Moreover, he had been cultivating the 'Cloud Ascending Ladder' for several days, and there had been some improvement. Although he hadn't reached the first level, his agility in combat had greatly increased.

Lin Mo observed the actions of the refugees, while also having a few of his disciples remain vigilant for anyone approaching abnormally. He continued to increase the reward: "As long as you have relatively reliable information, you'll get this two pieces of silver immediately. If you can lead me to concrete traces, regardless of whether the person is caught, I'll give you another tael of silver!"

The two pieces of silver, and later the one tael, were rewards Lin Mo had considered carefully before offering.

If the money was too much, they might lose their lives as soon as they received it. There was no order in this slum.

"One tael of silver... Old Wu, what do you think, should we..."

"Are you willing to risk your life for money? Who can you afford to offend!"

"But that's enough for us to eat for several months..."

The reward naturally had an effect, but it seemed not as good as he had imagined. Constant low whispers suggested some discoveries.

Lin Mo's hearing was naturally good, but when he looked towards the voices, the refugees who seemed to have clues scurried back into their crudely boarded-up houses, shaking their heads like rattles.

Force them with martial power?

Although Lin Mo thought it would be effective, it was ultimately not a good idea and would affect his image in Changhe County.

"Uncle, I... I know, over there..."

A barefoot boy in tattered hemp clothes ran out. Before he could say much, he was pulled back by a bony arm.

Lin Mo leaned in to look inside. A woman was desperately covering the little boy's mouth. She forced a smile and said obsequiously, "Sir... Sir, we haven't moved much around here, how would we know who came and went..."

Gurgle...

As soon as the little boy was released, his stomach rumbled inappropriately. He looked at the woman pleadingly, "Mom, I'm hungry..."

"Hungry?"

Lin Mo looked at the disciples behind him and asked, "Do you have any food with you?"

They patted their pockets. The young man in the blue martial arts uniform, who was at the back, pulled out a cloth-wrapped item containing a few pastries.

"Almond pastries, peach blossom pastries... these are snacks I brought with me."

"Lend them to me. After this is over, I'll treat you all to a meal."

Lin Mo's approach with this kind of little boy was much simpler. Holding the pastries and money, he offered them and coaxed, "Little brother, if you're willing to tell me, the money is yours, and these pastries too."

The woman shook her head, her expression serious. Lin Mo finally understood; they had too many concerns.

He looked at the top of the little boy's head, where white mist emanated. Seeing that his Root Bone was decent, he proposed, "If you tell me something useful, not only will you get the silver, but I'll also offer your son a good opportunity. How about coming to Changhe Martial Arts School to learn martial arts?"

The woman gritted her teeth and finally agreed. The little boy ran up and whispered a few words to Lin Mo, whose eyes gradually brightened.

"So that's how it is... No wonder I couldn't find anyone after searching this small slum area!"

He finally understood. He then instructed a registered disciple to buy some normal food to bring over, and he left on his own.

Lin Mo arrived at a corner of the slums, enduring the stench of filth. He kicked open a plank, revealing a dark pit below.

"Who would have thought they'd dig a pit here, right next to this cesspool? No wonder the Martial Arts School couldn't find it when they searched..."

But every advantage has its drawback. Some refugees might have seen it, but when they stumbled upon people entering or exiting, they usually ended up dead on the spot.

Facing Martial Artists, they were no match, not even for a single move. Over time, they learned to bury this knowledge deep within their hearts.

Lin Mo checked his surroundings and quietly jumped in. It was different from the tunnel entrance he had imagined; this seemed to be a hidden cellar.

The place wasn't large, but it had a bed and was already somewhat messy, showing clear signs of recent use.

"Looks like I came at the wrong time?"

Lin Mo looked around. The structure was simple, and there was no possibility of anyone else hiding here.

Just as he was about to climb out, he heard slow footsteps from above.