Corruption of the Detoxification Pills!

However, the people were not convinced; they needed a real cure, not empty promises.

Just then, a voice rang out from the crowd. "I know why the Detoxification Water is running out!"

The crowd looked in the direction of the sound and saw a ragged, haggard-looking beggar step forward.

His eyes gleamed with wisdom, as if he could see through all the hypocrisy and greed in the world. "I once sneaked into the Yamen and witnessed those corrupt officials hoarding the Detoxification Pills that should have been distributed to the people, only taking out half to dissolve in water and distribute. They disregarded the lives of the people for their own selfish gain!"

These words struck like a bolt from the blue, shocking everyone present. The people were enraged; they roared and howled as they stormed into the Yamen, determined to demand an explanation.

But those corrupt officials showed no fear whatsoever.

"How dare you! Utter nonsense!"

The corrupt official's shouts echoed through the empty streets, while the armed soldiers gathered around him formed a cold, steel torrent that instantly separated the angry crowd from the flames of justice.

The people's roars and struggles seemed so powerless in the face of these well-trained soldiers. Their farm tools and canes trembled before the gleaming blades, and in the end they could only reluctantly put them down, their eyes filled with resentment and despair.

"Hmph, a bunch of rabble, how dare they act so arrogantly here!" The corrupt official sneered, his eyes filled with arrogance towards power and contempt for the people.

He waved his hand, signaling the soldiers to increase their vigilance and prevent any possible resistance.

"Sir, we just want to live!" An old woman knelt on the ground, clasped her hands together, and pleaded with tears streaming down her face. "My grandson is so young, he can't let illness take his life like this!"

"Hmph, life and death are predestined, wealth and honor are determined by fate." The corrupt official glanced at the old woman disdainfully, his tone laced with unquestionable coldness. "The antidote you wanted has been distributed in full. As for its effectiveness, that's up to your own fate."

"You're lying! We clearly saw you hoard most of the Detoxification Pills!" The ragged beggar stepped forward again from the crowd. His voice, though weak, was exceptionally firm. "You parasites, all you care about is lining your own pockets, you have no regard for the lives of ordinary people!"

"You audacious scoundrel, how dare you frame me!" The corrupt official's face darkened, and he roared, "Guards, seize this gossipy madman!"

At his command, several soldiers quickly stepped forward and surrounded the beggar.

The beggar showed no fear, only coldly watching these people who should have been protectors of the people, but had now become accomplices of the oppressors.

"Hmph, kill me or torture me, it's all up to you!" The beggar raised his head, closed his eyes, as if he had already prepared for the worst.

"Sir, it's not wise to risk lives. If the higher-ups find out, it will be bad for us too!"

Just as the knife was about to strike the beggar's head, the official next to the corrupt official suddenly whispered something.

The corrupt official nodded and stopped the soldiers.

"Wait, just beat him up and kick him out of here."

"Yes."

The soldiers immediately began punching and kicking him.

The beggar was beaten until he curled up on the ground.

Some civilians wanted to help, but were frightened away by the gleaming knife.

"Alright, all of you get out of here! Nothing's wrong, is it? Why are you all so excited?" The corrupt official roared again.

The soldiers then dispersed the gathered civilians.

Only the pitiful beggar remained, curled up on the ground.

I wonder how much time has passed?

The beggar shakily got up from the ground, walked into a dark alley, and crawled into an abandoned, dilapidated house.

The beggar began to tend to his wounds, and when he parted his hair, it was revealed that he was a boy of about thirteen or fourteen years old.

"I must find a way to expose that corrupt official!"

Young A Ming, dragging his battered body, huddled in that dilapidated corner, yet an inextinguishable flame burned in his heart.

The night was deep and silent, with only the occasional barking of dogs in the distance, accompanying his heavy heartbeat.

A Ming knew that passion alone was far from enough; he needed wisdom, strategy, and, most importantly, evidence.

The next morning, as the first rays of sunlight pierced through the cracks in the ruins and shone on A Ming's pale face, he quietly got up.

Instead of taking immediate action, he chose to observe secretly near the Yamen.

After he exposed his sneaking into the Yamen yesterday, Yamen guards there have been tightened!

Days passed by...

A Ming also noticed that although those corrupt officials acted cautiously, they always had oversights.

Especially late at night, a group of officials would always disappear with their belongings, their whereabouts unknown.

"There must be a secret warehouse... I'm sure they have what I want there. With so many Detoxification Pills, storage must be a problem."

A Ming thought to himself, a smile playing on his lips.

He decided to first find out the exact location of the warehouse before looking for a suitable opportunity to sneak in.

A Ming's heart pounded like a drum, and every breath was accompanied by taut nerves.

He hid in the shadows of the street corner, his eyes fixed on the group of officers moving stealthily. Their steps were light and discreet, as if they were used to the mission that was about to take place.

A Ming knew that this would be the crucial moment to uncover the truth, and a turning point in his personal destiny.

He followed them cautiously, trying to keep his distance to avoid being noticed.

The deep night and the dim streetlights provided some cover for his actions.

Even so, A Ming dared not be careless in the slightest, knowing full well that the consequences would be unimaginable if he were discovered.

The group walked through several quiet alleys and finally stopped in front of what appeared to be an abandoned house.

The gate to the house was tightly shut, and weeds grew all around, indicating that it had been uninhabited for a long time.

However, when the officers took out their keys from their waists and gently opened the heavy wooden door, A Ming's heart jumped into his throat.

The sound of the door hinges turning was particularly jarring in the quiet night, as if even the air itself had frozen.

A Ming pressed himself tightly against the wall, holding his breath, afraid that his presence would be detected by the people inside.

The door slowly opened, and a beam of dim light shone through the crack, illuminating a small open space outside.

The officials filed in, and seeing this, A Ming quietly followed them in.

The courtyard was overgrown with weeds.

However, there was an open space in the center of the inner courtyard, which was kept exceptionally clean, indicating that it was a frequently used area.

Several large wooden crates were placed on the open ground, their lids half-open, revealing neatly arranged porcelain bottles inside. It was easy to guess that they contained the Detoxification Pills that the people desperately needed.

A surge of excitement welled up inside A Ming; he almost wanted to rush out and expose everything.

But reason told him that now was not the time.

He needs more evidence, and he needs to let everyone know about the crimes of these corrupt officials.

So he suppressed his impulse and continued to observe from the shadows.