The sky was dim, and the shadows of the trees swayed.
The mounds of graves were like steamed buns, one after another, with hardly any tombstones. Occasionally, there was a decently built tomb. White long streamers were planted around the tomb, tied with red ropes used by Taoist priests for rituals, and some had bells hanging. Due to wind and sun exposure, the white streamers were already in tatters, and the copper bells were rusted, producing eerie, muffled sounds.
All those who died away from home, the poor and homeless, the young who died unjustly, and those who couldn’t be buried in their family graves for various reasons, were all buried in such a chaotic graveyard.
Every town, and even outside every village, had such a place.
Ordinary people were unwilling to approach without reason, which gave people from the martial world great convenience. Whether it was a meeting or a duel, no one would come to disturb them.
Even if someone was beaten and howled endlessly…
It was the place in the legend where you could scream until your throat broke, and no one would come to save you.
Meng Qi watched expressionlessly at the two men in black lying by the grave mound, crying bitterly.
Which family’s death warriors were these? Just now, when they bit the poison sac, they were very resolute, unafraid of death, but why couldn’t they bear any pain now?
Yes, it was indeed very painful after he injected his true energy into their meridians. Back in Qinghu Town, he tormented those superstitious followers of the Holy Lotus Sect this way, and a few unruly juniors from the martial world. But they were not ordinary people, nor young people who arrogantly claimed to uphold justice but actually messed things up; they hadn’t seen much of the world or suffered in this way, so it was normal they couldn’t bear it.
Why were these two men in black so weak-boned?
As soon as the pain started, they howled, and their howling was so miserable that it was clear they couldn’t bear the pain.
Meng Qi knew well the severity of his actions.
Actually, it was a pain that worsened over time. When it first struck, most people would cry out in pain unexpectedly, but then gritting their teeth, they could endure it. To make someone completely lose their sanity and beg with tears flowing would take at least the time it took to drink a cup of tea.
Except for the weak-boned ones.
But these two immediately acted as if they couldn’t endure the torture and were willing to say anything, who were they trying to fool?
Meng Qi looked at the two rolling on the ground with a profound expression, appearing cold and ruthless, treating human life like grass.
Mo Li, although puzzled, did not undermine Meng Qi. He thought the same as Meng Qi.
—Aren’t these two pretending to be afraid of pain and death, trying to say anything to escape?
The death warriors were really wronged.
Death wasn’t scary, it was just a moment.
They had seen real torture experts, who could make one wish for death but be unable to die. The more one endured, the worse it would get. If they were unlucky enough to encounter someone who enjoyed this, it wouldn’t just be suffering; they would be tortured beyond recognition and still couldn’t die.
The best way was naturally to pretend to be weak, cry when hit, and beg for mercy when in pain.
The two death warriors howled while observing Meng Qi and Mo Li out of the corner of their eyes.
Then their hearts sank; seeing their unmoved demeanor, it was clear they wouldn’t be satisfied until they had tortured them enough.
There wasn’t much time to think, as the pain intensified.
So their howls became more genuine.
Meng Qi counted the time and thought, now this was right, what was that previous howling? Practicing their voices?
“Speak, who sent you, what were you doing at that shop? Why did you kill the shopkeeper and the clerks?”
Hearing the question, the death warriors breathed a sigh of relief, their eyes turning slightly.
It was an instinctive reaction.
Meng Qi saw it clearly, snorted coldly, and injected another wave of true energy into their meridians.
The screams that instantly echoed shook a layer of soil off the grave mounds.
The two layers of hidden force erupted simultaneously, making the pain truly unbearable.
Meng Qi waited for a while, then waved his hand to withdraw the hidden force. The two men in black were already covered in dirt, looking extremely disheveled. Among them, the one who had been poisoned and then saved by Mo Li was even more seriously injured, his face as pale as paper, his eyes wandering and his expression dazed. He paused for a moment before crawling to the side to vomit.
Death warriors wouldn’t easily reveal their master’s identity, but there were things they could disclose.
“…That shop belongs to the Si family of Pingzhou,” one of the men in black said hoarsely.
This answer was unexpected, Meng Qi raised an eyebrow and said, “Keep talking.”
The Si family’s rebellious activities had already been discovered by General Liu Dan, and Emperor Lu Zhang had definitely ordered the Jinyiwei to confiscate the Si family’s properties, how could there be such a fish that slipped through the net?
The man in black observed Meng Qi, trying to discern his identity and how much he knew from his reaction, but Meng Qi gave him nothing. The man in black could only continue reluctantly, “After the Si family was gone, this shop was taken over by people from Ancestor Qingwu.”
Mo Li thought this wasn’t far from his own guess.
Si Zhuang, the young master of the Si family, was a disciple of Ancestor Qingwu. The Si family and the Cangfeng Temple probably had some connections. Zhao Cangfeng, although muddle-headed, wanted to cut off the dragon vein to let spiritual energy spread across the world and then cultivate himself to attain the Dao. However, his rebellious activities were quite effective, and the properties left by his young disciple’s family naturally fell into his hands.
The problem was, Ancestor Qingwu soon met his end too.
Following this logic, wouldn’t the inheritance go to Ancestor Qingwu’s disciple who was loyal to the Tianshou King?
Sure enough, the next words of the man in black confirmed this, “After Ancestor Qingwu died, the people of Cangfeng Temple scattered like birds. This shopkeeper wanted to take the Si family’s money and resources to serve a new master. We are the personal guards of General Zheng under the Tianshou King…”
“Nonsense!” Mo Li interrupted the death warrior.
Meng Qi nodded at the right moment, “Knowing that their own master’s family is gone, and the backing behind them has also fallen, why would the shopkeeper want to serve someone else? Why not split the money with the clerks, pack up, and leave? The world is vast, why insist on clinging to rebellion?”
“Well… I’m just following orders, I don’t know their thoughts.”
The man in black insisted that the one who sent him was surnamed Zheng, another disciple of Ancestor Qingwu.
Meng Qi, losing interest, raised his hand but then put it down.
The two death warriors immediately closed their eyes, preparing for the torture to resume.
Mo Li found this odd and couldn’t help calling out, “Brother Meng?”
Hearing the call, Meng Qi suddenly perked up, smiling broadly, “Doctor, you may not know, but death warriors, no matter whose family they come from, all have the same problem… They’d rather die if they can, and if they can’t die, they’ll lie. So their first confession is never trustworthy. As a result, later interrogators know this, and death warriors themselves know it too, so everyone follows this routine, it’s truly troublesome.”
Mo Li: “…”
Meng Qi continued without pause, “Sometimes the second confession isn’t true either, you need to ask a third time. It depends on who’s interrogating. If it’s someone stubborn and very proud of their interrogation skills, they’ll only believe confessions made after three or more rounds.”
Two death warriors: “…”
No, aren’t you that kind of person? The two death warriors glanced at each other and realized they had made a mistake.
Before, Meng Qi had let them howl endlessly, always expressionless, it wasn’t their fault for misunderstanding.
Confession is an art.
They adapted based on the situation, and the person they were confessing to.
Meng Qi, meanwhile, sighed deeply and lectured them sorrowfully.
“…Why has no one ever done the opposite, telling the truth the first time? Don’t you think after doing this, the interrogator wouldn’t believe you, allowing you to hide the truth as you wish? This is a brilliant idea, isn’t it?”
The two death warriors kept their faces stiff, saying nothing.
Who the hell would dare to gamble on such a thing?
What if the interrogator took them seriously? What if the other party didn’t follow the rules and didn’t play by the routine?
Wouldn’t that be like lifting a rock only to drop it on their own feet?
“Ah, not knowing how to adapt,” Meng Qi sighed.
Mo Li touched the fat rat rattle in his sleeve and said seriously, “Brother Meng, that’s not right. If the interrogator doesn’t care about the truth and is determined to pin the crime on their master. Hearing their confession would make him overjoyed and he wouldn’t ask another half sentence. Wouldn’t they be dumbfounded then?”
Meng Qi nodded cooperatively, “The doctor makes a valid point. Doctor, do you think they’re telling the truth now?”
Mo Li pondered, then slowly shook his head.
The two death warriors’ hearts tightened.
Meng Qi, who was already enjoying himself, smiled, “When they claimed to be personal guards of General Zheng under the Tianshou King, the doctor’s expression clearly showed he anticipated this. I’m willing to bet with the doctor on what they’ll admit next. If the doctor loses, can you give me that rattle?”
“No.”
Mo Li refused without a second thought.
Meng Qi: “…”
It’s okay, there will be other opportunities. I’ll definitely find a way to get that rattle.
“Then can we bet the rattle’s pellets? I don’t like red dates, let’s change them!” Meng Qi tried to persuade.
Using dates was just because they were the largest, making the rattle sound loud. Using smaller ones would also work.
Mo Li thought for a moment and asked, “Peanuts?”
“No, just the original…”
Meng Qi wanted to suggest switching to normal rattle pellets.
“Or longans? Lotus seeds?”
“…”
Early births and a good future had already come full circle.
Meng Qi thought blankly, what does the doctor mean by this?
Realizing Meng Qi’s look, Mo Li: “…”
He had just been thinking of those common fruits. These four items were things every household prepared for celebrations and festivals. Mo Li accidentally blurted them out without thinking.
The two of them looked at each other, rarely feeling a sense of awkwardness.
The two men in black had their mouths twitching. They were initially waiting to be severely interrogated to give their second confession, but Meng Qi’s relentless ridicule and talk of betting left them completely unsure of how to confess now.
Especially seeing that these two with their cloth bundles seemed more interested in each other than in anything in the shop.
The men in black frowned for a long time, finally realizing that the person who caused their misfortune was that beggar-like fellow.
If it weren’t for that guy barging in recklessly, none of the subsequent events would have happened.
“To be honest, we are—”
“Wait.” Meng Qi raised his hand and said matter-of-factly, “The doctor hasn’t told me his guess yet.”
Mo Li silently turned his back, then used the secret transmission technique to say, “Since everyone knows the first confession is a lie, the second confession must be someone who conflicts with the first, even to the point of being mortal enemies. That way, it gains credibility. I guess he’ll claim to be from the Jinyiwei of the Qi Dynasty.”
“I think it’s the Holy Lotus Sect. Claiming to be from an evil sect can mask their motive for killing.”
“Not for money?” Mo Li questioned.
“I examined the bodies. They were killed by hidden weapons, all striking the back. Such sneak attacks indicate a reluctance for direct confrontation. The shopkeeper and clerks weren’t weak fighters. Moreover, the killers didn’t need to interrogate them like we do… that’s unusual. Don’t they want to know where the money is hidden? The shop didn’t have it, nor did the death warriors.”
Meng Qi slowly took out the ledger he retrieved from a hidden compartment in the shop wall.
The death warriors tried hard to conceal their reactions, but their eyes involuntarily followed it, and their fists clenched instinctively.
“That’s right, it’s for this.” Meng Qi shook the ledger, squinting with a smile.
When the desired object appears before someone, only those with great willpower can remain unaffected. No matter what, they will show some sign.
“Alright, go ahead and speak.” Meng Qi crossed his arms, looking ready to watch the show.
The death warriors glanced at Mo Li, then at Meng Qi, and swallowed back what they originally intended to say.
With a face full of frustration, almost to the point of spitting blood, the man in black lowered his head and said awkwardly, “We… we are actually from Piaoping Pavilion. King Wu, through various channels, asked Dragon Head Association’s Elder Cai to buy the head of the Tianshou King for six hundred gold. We received the money and used the old route, which is the Si family’s rice shop, to transport the gold out via grain carts and ships. The Si family’s rice shop has been connected with our Piaoping Pavilion for several years, but they weren’t very honest. Each time the amount of gold and silver transported varied with the distance, and they kept records. This time we came out to carry out the mission, planning to abandon this route, burn the ledger, and erase all traces.”
Author’s Note:
The “longevity fruit” here refers to peanuts.
Peanuts were introduced to China around the 16th century, but since this is a fictional setting, we won’t consider that timeline.
Real modular desert rat rattle
Parts can be customized: red dates, peanuts, longans, lotus seeds, you can change them as you wish.
…Gently shake it and the chubby rat jumps, don’t miss it!
