Chapter 390

Mei Lanzhu knew their identities and dared not deliver a verdict directly. She could only offer meaningless platitudes, hoping the Grand Tutor's men would arrive at the yamen soon to defuse the situation.

"Hmm, if that's the case. They do indeed have some suspicion of committing the crime. Can you tell me more..."

Before he could finish speaking, he was rudely interrupted by the Prince of Xian:

"Since there's suspicion, then arrest him. A life for a life is a matter of principle, don't I need to teach you that?"

Although Wei Wudi said this, he knew very well that Shi Lei would not be punished.

Even if the matter goes all the way to the emperor, at most he'll be imprisoned for a few days as a form of apology.

In order to revive the Sui Beast ahead of schedule, Wei Wudi is racing against time, trying to delay as long as possible.

Upon learning of the plan to reseal the Year, he immediately notified the elites of the Mountain Sea Cult to assemble in the Capital City.

Since their notification was issued later than that of the Grand Tutor, they shouldn't be much faster than the Celestial Masters. Once everyone is assembled, they must gather and attack the imperial tombs. They must liberate the emperor before he can react.

"This..."

Mei Lanzhu posed this thorny question, hoping he could buy more time by speaking.

"Shi Lei, do you have something to say?"

Shi Lei gazed at the horizon, seemingly communicating remotely with Nian through Writing Tablet on a rock. Hearing the prefect's question, he snapped out of his reverie and answered truthfully:

"I didn't kill him. If I had killed Childe, no one would have found out."

Wei Wudi flew into a rage upon hearing this, slamming his fist on the table and rising to his feet:

"Your Excellency, how dare the murderer be so audacious! You must punish him severely!"

Mei Lanzhu dared not pronounce the verdict, and instead asked, steeling herself:

"Shi Lei, what do you mean by this?"

Shi Lei offered no further explanation and walked straight to the court recorder.

"Sir, may I borrow a chair?"

With a wave of his hand, he created a large amount of Rock Constructs that enveloped the chair. As crackling sounds emanated from within, the chair instantly turned to dust.

Seeing the surprised looks on everyone's faces, he cupped his hands and said:

"Sir, if I killed Wei Yi, not even a bone fragment would remain, let alone a complete corpse. Murderers often return to the crime scene to make sure they have cleaned up all traces. I have already sent people to stake out the area, and I believe we will be able to catch the real culprit soon."

Xi Fang replied using Writing Tablet, communicating remotely with Shi Lei. She said that the murderer had been discovered and was being pursued.

When Mei Lanzhu saw the wood chips scattered all over the ground, her heart couldn't help but clench.

Where did this monster come from?

Wei Wudi was equally startled, seeing that the other party seemed to have exerted no effort at all in his nonchalant manner. If he were to participate in the operation to seal the Sui Beast, things would be terrible.

At the same time, Shi Lei turned to look at the gate. He could sense that the Writing Tablet was rushing towards him.

"The murderer should have been caught."

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461 I Will Not Go to Hell 3K

What?! The murderer has been caught?

Upon hearing Shi Lei say those words, Wei Wudi's heart skipped a beat.

No one knew the truth of the case better than him, because the murderer was sent out by the Prince himself.

Before using this treacherous plan, Wei Wudi was well aware of the public's preconceived notion that "even a tiger wouldn't eat its cubs."

Unless there is irrefutable evidence pointing directly to him, he is the least likely person to be suspected.

But now that Ghost Face has been captured, the situation is completely different. Even with Wei Wudi's strong mental fortitude, he still tensed up, his face turning ashen and his toes clenching tightly.

That guy, he wouldn't betray me, would he?

Just two minutes ago, Wei Wudi was quite certain about the matter. But after witnessing Shi Lei smash the chair with his bare hands, he was completely stunned.

If he participates in the subsequent interrogation under the guise of helping Wei Yi avenge himself.

They simply began by crushing the Ghost Face's toes, then his fingers. Each bone was crushed one by one after he refused to answer. Such cruel interrogation methods were likely too much for most people to endure.

Wei Wudi asked himself honestly, even if Ghost Face was extremely loyal, he didn't believe he could withstand it.

Shi Lei put his hands behind his back and looked out of the yamen.

The Mountain Sea Cult chose themselves as the most difficult point of attack, killing the son of King Xian to frame him. This suggests that they had exhausted all other methods and resorted to desperate measures.

If we can follow the clues and locate and destroy the stronghold of the Mountain Sea Cult hidden in the Capital City, it should reduce the unpredictable events that may occur when the Sui Beast is unsealed.

Time ticks by, passing by second by second.

Everyone followed Shi Lei's gaze towards the entrance of the yamen (government office). Whether or not the murderer was caught would directly determine the course of the entire case.

Suddenly, Nian came into view as she ascended the steps. But her expression was anxious, and she called out loudly:

"Is there a doctor? Come quickly and save this person!"

Upon hearing this, Shi Lei felt a sense of foreboding. He quickly ran outside, moving so fast that ordinary people could only see his afterimage.

Shi Lei arrived outside the yamen and immediately spotted a masked man wearing a beast mask. The man was convulsing, and blood was dripping from the side of the mask onto the ground.

Nian panicked and quickly explained:

"I followed your instructions and hid in the painting with Xi, and we really caught the murderer. But I didn't notice when he swallowed the poison. He suddenly started foaming at the mouth just now, it really worried me to death!"

Although she possessed the ability to forge divine weapons, she lacked the medical skills of a living Hua Tuo. When she encountered Mountain Sea Cult had attempted suicide by poison, she could only first send them to the government office for help.

The Black and White Impermanence silently ceased their presence, rapidly taking away the life of this Mountain Sea Cult.

Given the unusual situation, Shi Lei had no other choice. He used his consciousness to cast Jade Shield on his opponent, then threw a punch in an attempt to trigger the shield-breaking and health-restoring effect.

But after that punch, Mountain Sea Cult didn't cough as he got up. Shi Lei quickly reached out to check their breathing and even lay down to listen to their heartbeats; his expression began to turn serious.

He can save lives, but he cannot save the dead. If the person dies before he can save them, even a god cannot bring them back to life.

"What... what are you doing?"

Wei Wudi followed the crowd out of the government office and saw the Ghost Face lying on the ground in the distance. He was overjoyed.

Ah, thank goodness!

Lawyer Chen Meng witnessed this scene, adjusted her glasses, and began tearing at the scene like a mad dog:

"No wonder you were able to catch the murderer; it turns out you were all in cahoots! Did you think you could escape legal judgment by killing someone to cover it up? There are so many people here who can testify that you punched this person to death. Whether he is the murderer or not, you are guilty of murder!"

With Ghost Face dead, Wei Wudi would have nothing to fear. He suppressed his elation, hoping to use this opportunity to keep Shi Lei imprisoned for a longer period.

"That's right, it's only right that a murderer pays with his life. You murderer, give me back my son's life!"

Faced with this unexpected turn of events, Shi Lei really had no better way to handle it.

You can only learn from your mistakes and avoid making the same mistake twice in the future.

He wasn't going to explain to everyone that he had the ability to break shields and recover, because there was no need to.

Now that the Mountain and Mountain Sea Cult is dead, the remaining members will be like frightened birds. They will all find places to hide for a while, making them difficult to capture.

It would be better to comply with the mastermind's wishes and spend a few weeks in prison first. Anyway, I can communicate with the outside world through the Rock Constructs Writing Tablet, so I won't be isolated from information.

Perhaps the Mountain Sea Cult only dared to sneak out and cause trouble after seeing themselves imprisoned?

Shi Lei had checked the location of the prison beforehand; it was very close to the Imperial Palace, right under the emperor's nose. If anything unusual was discovered, he could immediately rush out of the prison and reach the scene.

"What are you all standing there for? Grab him!"

Urged on by the Prince of Xian, the constables arrived with weapons to arrest Shi Lei. At this critical moment, a classic line from a TV drama suddenly rang out from the east side of the street:

"Wait a minute!"

Shi Lei turned around at the sound and saw a middle-aged man wearing a black robe who had the air of someone in a high position.

Before he could inquire about the other party's background, the Prefect of the Capital City rubbed his hands together, smiled obsequiously, and stepped forward to greet him:

"Grand Tutor, you've arrived."

Mei Lanzhu had been eagerly awaiting their arrival, and finally, the other party showed up. If they hadn't come soon, the Prince of Xian would have forced them to close the case, leaving them in a bad situation.

As a mere prefect of the Capital City, he couldn't afford to offend either the Grand Tutor or the Prince of Xian. The best solution was to let them fight it out themselves.

Upon seeing the Grand Tutor arrive in person, the constables dared not make any rash moves.

Detaining them now is wrong, and not detaining them is also wrong. They're standing there with their weapons, like ants on a hot plate.

The Grand Tutor ignored them, glanced at the corpse, and asked:

"What's up with this guy?"

Shi Lei didn't mention the ability to recover after breaking the shield, but his words were still watertight, leaving no room for doubt:

"We went out for dinner last night and didn't spend much time there. So we figured the murderer who killed the prince would return to the scene to clean up the traces, so we had Miss Nian and Miss Nian hide. Sure enough, they caught Mountain Sea Cult."

However, on his En route to the yamen, he ingested a deadly poison. Seeing him barely alive, I tried to induce vomiting by pounding his stomach and intestines. But when I did, I realized he was already dead; there was no way to revive him.

Upon hearing the words "Mountain Sea Cult," a fleeting glint of something unusual flashed in the Grand Tutor's eyes. He did not respond directly, but instead looked up at Miss Nian beside him.

The latter immediately understood and chimed in:

"The details are exactly as Zhongli described. This guy was already foaming at the mouth when he got close to the yamen, and there was no way to save him. Some of the vendors nearby should have seen it and can help testify."

Wei Wudi predicted that the Grand Tutor would favor Shi Lei, and occupying the Morality high ground, he took the initiative to jump out and clamor.

"Testify? Are you kidding me? He beat the murderer to death in the street, does he think he can escape legal punishment? My son died in his house, and the murderer you arrested was also killed by him. I have no other demands, I just hope that this murderer can be brought to justice!"

Grand Tutor dared not act recklessly, for Shi Lei was the key figure in resealing the Sui Beast.

He had witnessed firsthand the terrifying strength of the other side in withstanding Catastrophe back in Jade Gate. If he angered them, they might just turn the capital of Yan upside down.

The Capital City's greatest asset at present is the 'Four Symbols Heaven and Earth Great Array'. This is a super-large-scale Magic Array set up within the city to deal with and defend against Great Beast.

But Shi Lei is currently in the city, so breaking through the Magic Array from the inside would be incredibly easy for him.

The Grand Tutor would not take such a risk, even if the other party really killed the Crown Prince, he would protect him to the end. When it comes to family matters and state affairs, he would choose the latter without hesitation.

"Your Majesty, I deeply regret what happened to your son. But he is extremely important to our Yan..."

Shi Lei knew this wouldn't work, so he interrupted:

"Grand Tutor, I completely understand his grief of outliving his son. How about this: I will voluntarily be imprisoned until the authorities capture the remaining Mountain Sea Cult. As punishment, I will not be provided with any food or water during my imprisonment. What does Prince Xian think of this proposal?"

He now possesses the body of the Archon Realm, and his physical strength has transcended the realm of normal humans. Even if he doesn't eat, drink, or even breathe for a long time, he will be fine.

This plan, while seemingly a punishment, actually has no impact on Shi Lei whatsoever. The prison is a good location, conveniently allowing him to maintain control from the shadows.

If any foolish Mountain Sea Cult were to attempt an assassination, they would be walking right into the line of fire, achieving three goals at once: appeasing the King of Xian, retreating into the background, and setting a trap.

Wei Wudi knew very well that Shi Lei, as the key figure in sealing the Great Beast, could not possibly pay for his son's life.

If he can truly reseal the Year, he will surely receive a pardon from His Majesty the Emperor afterward.

Since they can't kill this guy, putting him in jail is the best outcome right now. Besides, Shi Lei himself requested that he not be provided with any food or water; starving him for two or three weeks would surely weaken him to the point of exhaustion. If the opportunity arises, an assassination might not be out of the question.

The death of his son, Wei Yi, had already brought him far more rewards than he had expected, Wei Wudi had no reason to refuse:

"Everyone heard that, right? He said it himself. Don't go back on your word and say I'm abusing my power!"

"A gentleman's word is as good as his bond. With so many witnesses, I must abide by the established rules."

The Grand Tutor's expression was solemn as he confirmed with him:

"Mister Zhongli, I can understand going to jail. But is it really necessary to go without food and water?"

"It's alright, just consider it a small punishment for not accurately predicting that the Mountain Sea Cult would take poison."

At this point, Shi Lei glanced at Wei Wudi.

There is currently no evidence to prove whether King Xian was used as a weapon by the Mountain Sea Cult or whether he himself was the one wielding the weapon.

During his time behind the scenes, Shi Lei will have others keep an eye on Wei Wudi to see if there are any opportunities.

Infiltration is something Texas excels at. Xi is even more remarkable; she can quickly hide inside a painting before being discovered, making her impossible to guard against.

"Okay, okay, okay!"

Wei Wudi glared at him fiercely, uttered three "good"s in a row, and then grinned and said: