Old Man Mu had no intention of missing this grand spectacle, especially since he had just received a ten-thousand-tael bounty on his head. If he didn't show himself, he would hardly be living up to his "price."
"Many thanks, Lord Pang!" Perhaps realizing that his shout had drawn the attention of people inside and outside the City Governor's residence, Old Man Mu seemed quite pleased. He then burst into a string of laughter.
He had achieved his aim. Apart from Shangguan Ru, who was still competing in the martial contest, He Nu, and a handful of spectators, most people—including the crowds gathered in the street—turned their attention to the sudden voice. But nobody could tell where its owner was. They looked in every direction, and some even bent down to search the ground, since Old Man Mu was said to be tiny.
Pang Jing sprang to his feet, his face ashen. The four guards behind him immediately closed in, drawing their swords and taking up positions in every direction.
On the walls, rooftops, and in the alleys, groups of guards ran about, searching for Old Man Mu.
"Dragon King!" Old Man Mu shouted. The commotion was growing more obvious, but he seemed to care less and less. "Since you protected me for a time, I'll count you as a meritorious servant. This old man has decided to give you a little reward. You don't like people from the Central Plains, so I'll help you kill a few more of them. The Black Camel was just the beginning. There'll be more to come."
Old Man Mu was skilled at sowing discord. His words matched what the people of Jade City already suspected, and people inside and outside the residence nodded, exchanging meaningful looks as if to say, "I knew it all