Evening.
The Zhoulong Escort Agency occupied sprawling grounds. A pair of stone lions stood at its main gate, and a plaque reading "Loyalty and righteousness above all" hung over the inner entrance. The escorts hauling goods inside were all powerfully built.
Jia Huan led the way and displayed his identification waist token.
"I'm here to see the chief escort."
One of the escorts cupped his hands upon seeing it.
"The chief escort isn't here."
"Then we'll wait!" Jia Huan's face was expressionless, his voice cold.
"Until I see him, you won't be doing any business."
The escort's expression stiffened.
With a Flying Fish Uniform planted at the gate, who would dare come to discuss business? The longer they stayed, the more outsiders would assume the Zhoulong Escort Agency had committed some crime.
"Please wait a moment, sir." The escort turned to report their arrival.
Half an hour passed.
"The chief escort invites you inside."
"Insolence!" Fathead Fish flew into a rage and snapped:
"He dares put on airs before the court's Embroidered Uniform Guard? Tell him to get his ass over here and pay his respects to Lord Jia!"
"No matter." Jia Huan was unconcerned. Why argue with a dead man? He said mildly:
"Twin Whips, come with me. The rest of you, wait here."
"Yes, sir."
They entered the agency and walked more than a hundred paces into its grounds, reaching a secluded hall. Inside sat a black-robed old man with a ruddy complexion and a vigorous bearing.
"My surname is Zhou. What brings you here?" Escort Chief Zhou rose to greet them.
"I have a question for you." Jia Huan flashed his waist token. "Seven days ago, an Embroidered Uniform Guard Strongman died in Xinchang Prefecture's seat. Can you provide any leads?"
"What? Such a thing happened?" Escort Chief Zhou looked horrified and said in disbelief:
"Who would dare murder a member of the Embroidered Uniform Guard?"
Jia Huan watched him.
"You know nothing about it?"
Escort Chief Zhou looked bewildered. "Instead of investigating at the prefectural office, you come to me. What is the meaning of this, sir?"
Jia Huan could not be bothered to watch his act. His words were brief and forceful.
"Liu Strongman died at the hands of the Zhoulong Escort Agency's ancestral palm technique!"
Escort Chief Zhou's expression changed sharply. A trace of unease flashed deep in his clouded old eyes, and he shouted:
"You're deliberately framing me! Spouting bloody slander!"
Jia Huan keenly caught the old dog's panic and could not help admiring the strength of the Misty Rain Tower's intelligence network.
He sneered.
"If I've come looking for you, naturally I have evidence."
Escort Chief Zhou instantly regained his composure. Instead, he sat down and spoke with perfect calm.
"Are these malicious accusations an attempt at extortion? If you need traveling expenses, sir, simply ask. Why put on this performance?"
"Don't try to smear me. Produce your evidence and bring the prefectural office's documents. Otherwise, you're extorting a commoner. I may only be an escort chief, but I'm not without connections in the government."
"Please leave!"
With that, Escort Chief Zhou took a small sip of tea and angrily struck the floor with his boot.
Bang!
The bluestone tile cracked, a long fissure spreading outward-a clear display of the formidable internal energy of the Innate Realm's second level.
Twin Whips looked wary.
Jia Huan did not move. Instead, he smiled.
"Why demonstrate your martial prowess on your own floor, Escort Chief Zhou? Repairing it will only cost you more silver."
Escort Chief Zhou set down his teacup and declared forcefully:
"I simply cannot stand the Embroidered Uniform Guard using its power to bully others. If you refuse to leave, I'll consider it an unprovoked challenge!"
Jia Huan's gaze was calm. He advanced step by step, enunciating every word.
"If I use my power to bully you, what can you do about it?"
A fierce wind stirred within his sleeve as he thrust a palm straight forward.
Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms, third form: See Dragon in the Field!
With that single strike, his palm force surged like roaring mountains and a raging sea, two currents of power crashing one atop the other.
"An arrogant little brat who doesn't know how high heaven is or how deep the earth runs!" Escort Chief Zhou's face filled with contempt. His right palm turned red as a branding iron and slammed down with the speed of thunder before one could cover one's ears.
Boom!
Their palms collided.
Jia Huan did not budge.
Escort Chief Zhou flew backward, struck the wall, then crashed heavily to the floor. His face was pale as paper, and blood poured endlessly from his mouth.
"How is this possible?!" He looked as though lightning had struck him, his eyes filled with absolute terror.
"An ant like you dares show off your martial prowess?"
Jia Huan strolled over and stamped hard on his face, grinding the mud-soaked sole of his boot against it.
Twin Whips stared blankly.
Even a martial artist this powerful was an ant in the boss's eyes?
"Think carefully. Either cooperate with me, or your entire family dies. The choice is yours."
Jia Huan walked over to Escort Chief Zhou's seat and crossed his legs.
Escort Chief Zhou lay prone on the floor, his face smeared with weeds and mud. Agonizing pain tore through his chest as he said shakily:
"You won't come to a good end either if you kill without authorization!"
Twin Whips rushed forward and said viciously:
"Execute first, report afterward-by imperial authority!"
"We can pin any charge on you. Not one of your descendants will be spared."
Jia Huan tapped the edge of the table and said calmly:
"Until I get the result I want, I won't let this rest."
"Was the Zhoulong Escort Agency responsible for Liu Strongman's death? I'll count to three."
"One."
"Two."
"Yes!" Escort Chief Zhou's voice was hoarse.
Jia Huan nodded. This was absolute power.
"Why?" he asked.
Escort Chief Zhou remained silent.
Jia Huan lost patience. "I won't say anything to you twice!"
A little color returned to Escort Chief Zhou's face, but that palm strike had robbed him of any thought of resistance. He sighed.
"He stumbled upon a secret. He had to die."
"Twin Whips!" Jia Huan barked.
Twin Whips immediately took out the brush, paper, and ink pad carried along.
Jia Huan asked, "What secret?"
Escort Chief Zhou held nothing back, spilling everything like beans poured from a bamboo tube. He said quietly:
"The collapse of Xinchang Dam wasn't a natural disaster. It was man-made."
Boom!
Twin Whips's gaze turned chilling.
Destroying the dam had flooded the people's fertile fields, ruined their homes, left them displaced, and drowned innocents. It was monstrous treachery, utterly devoid of humanity!
This case was enormous!!
"Who ordered it?" Jia Huan asked coldly.
"Associate... Associate Prefect Su." Escort Chief Zhou sighed. "His concubine is a member of my Zhou family. He secretly ordered the agency to dispose of that Embroidered Uniform Guard."
Twin Whips's brush flew across the paper, recording it all.
A fifth-rank associate prefect, second only to the prefect-the second-highest official in all of Xinchang Prefecture!
Jia Huan demanded angrily:
"Tell me exactly what happened."
Escort Chief Zhou dictated, and Twin Whips recorded it swiftly. At the end, Twin Whips urged:
"You've confessed fully to your crimes. Sign and affix your thumbprint!"
Escort Chief Zhou pressed his thumb into the ink pad.
Jia Huan walked over and looked down at him, warning:
"I'll spare you for now. The court will send people to interrogate you later. Don't dream of fleeing. Even if you escape, how will the dozens of people in your Zhou family get away?"
Escort Chief Zhou heaved a deep sigh, his heart like dead ashes.
They left the escort agency.
"What? Fifth-rank Associate Prefect Su Chongshan? Boss, the credit for solving this case will be enormous!"
Scholar could not believe that the prefectural office's second-highest official could be so utterly conscienceless, treating the people under his rule like worthless weeds.
Anger surged through Jia Huan.
"Su Chongshan-he truly disgraces a name that means revering goodness! We must secure justice for the people of Xinchang Prefecture!"
Scholar suddenly thought of something and said bitterly:
"Boss, without an Arrest Warrant and Approval Seal from our superiors, we have no authority to arrest a fifth-rank official."
Though they could execute first and report afterward, that depended on the official's rank. Their boss was only a General Banner, while the other man was a fifth-rank court official. Arresting him required both an Arrest Warrant and an Approval Seal.
Jia Huan could not concern himself with all that. He made his decision without hesitation.
"Delay invites trouble! We'll break into his private residence tonight and torture him directly. First establish the evidence, then return to the capital to report."
"That brazen dog! How can we give him a chance to pull strings everywhere?"
His six subordinates answered in unison:
"Yes, sir!"
Whatever the boss said, they would do.
Before you continue