novelraw Chapter 239
Chapter 239
A torrential downpour!
Sanhe Commandery docks!
Tap! Tap! Tap!
Constable Captain Yu led a squad through the rain, straw rain capes draped over their shoulders, hurrying toward the docks.
Sun Wen, helm leader of the Caobang’s Sanhe Commandery main helm, had already arrived at the scene with a group of Caobang elites.
One of his squad leaders and four team members lay sprawled lifeless in the cabin of a large merchant vessel. Dishes were overturned across the floor, the cabin in utter disarray.
Constable Captain Yu covered his nose and stepped into the cabin. His sharp eyes swept the surroundings. From his pouch, he took out a silver needle and tested the food and wine. When he saw the needle turn black, his expression grew grave.
“Take everything—including the bodies—back. Hand them to Old Lu and have him determine what poison was used.”
“Yes, sir!”
Constable Captain Yu then walked up to Sun Wen.“Helm Leader Sun, my condolences.”
“Did your subordinates have any grudges with anyone recently? For them to be poisoned like this, someone must have sought revenge.”
Sun Wen frowned slightly. A shadow flickered through his eyes.
“We gang members have constant quarrels and scuffles. We have made many enemies. But enemies severe enough to warrant murder… there should not be many. I will investigate upon returning and search for clues.”
“Very well. If you uncover anything, report it promptly to the Six Gates.”
“Of course.”
…
At the same time.
Another murder occurred at the dock hall in Huishui County.
Leng Wuya discovered seven guests dead from poisoning at a table inside an inn. The innkeeper and a shop assistant stood nearby, having reported the case.
“Constable Captain, the deceased are inner disciples of Huishui County.”
“They bled from all seven orifices. They must have died from a potent toxin.”
The coroner spoke in a low voice to Leng Wuya, glancing at the innkeeper and assistant.
Leng Wuya’s brows knit tightly. He questioned the innkeeper and assistant about any suspicious individuals who had approached the victims.
Both shook their heads.
“Take them back.”
“Interrogate them thoroughly.”
Braving the rain, Leng Wuya rushed to the Huishui County hall to have Hall Master Lin Xun determine whether the seven deceased had any known grudges.
Lin Xun’s first thought was the Five Poison Sect.
“Damn it.”
“They cannot possibly be making a comeback at a time like this, can they?”
“Pass down the order!”
“All inner disciples are to heighten their vigilance!”
Yet only two days later.
Four more inner disciples at the Huishui County hall died from poisoning.
At the same time, Caobang disciples in Leishui Town and Hejiang Town also began falling victim to poison.
…
“Damn it!”
“They are killing our branch helm brothers right under our noses!”
“If I cannot find the culprit, how will Helm Leader Li Qing face the helm leader?!”
The moment Li Qing received the news, he notified all his subordinates and began a comprehensive investigation of every guest and unfamiliar face that had entered the tavern that day.
Soon, they identified several suspects skilled in martial arts.
Three of them had taken lodging at inns or escort agencies. Only one had left the Sanjiang Branch Helm overnight, boarding a boat for Heilong County.
Li Qing’s swift actions quickly reached Wangchuan.
Upon learning that five of his branch helm brothers had been poisoned and that Li Qing had already identified suspects, Wangchuan acted decisively.
He dispatched men to keep the other three suspects under watch and search for poison evidence, while ordering Zhang Cha’er to take several fast boats and a squad to Heilong County to capture the fleeing suspect.
Wangchuan was deeply concerned. He feared that the Five Poison Sect—or even the Crimson Pavilion assassins—had resurfaced.
After Zhang Cha’er and Li Qing’s group landed at the Heilong County docks, they contacted Yulong Gang disciples to confirm that the suspect had gone to the nearest inn for a meal.
What surprised them was…
The man was sleeping so deeply that he could not be awakened.
Even after they broke down the door, he remained unconscious, as though lost in a stupor.
Yet on his person were numerous bottles of poison, blowpipes and other murder implements, a Five Poison Sect disciple identity token, and several silver notes.
Zhang Cha’er and Li Qing made a swift decision. They bound the man tightly and brought him back to the Sanjiang Branch Helm to present him before their helm leader.
Wangchuan hurried over upon hearing the news. He frowned as he looked at the tightly bound suspect and the array of items laid out before him.
A player.
Wangchuan frowned inwardly.
If it had been an NPC, life for life would have been natural and justified.
But if it was a player, he hesitated.
Ever since the confrontation with Black Panther Studio, he had not wished to stir conflict with other studios again.
Just then, the man suddenly stirred.
His eyelashes trembled. His eyelids fluttered open.
Then—
He panicked.
“Who are you?!”
“Why have you captured me?”
The Five Poison Sect player, dressed in black and appearing under thirty, had eyes filled with wariness, unease, and barely suppressed anxiety.
SLAP!
Zhang Cha’er struck him across the face, blood spraying from his mouth.
“You sure can sleep!”
“I slapped you countless times and you would not wake up! Did you drug yourself?”
Zhang Cha’er, seething with rage, finally found an outlet.
Only then did the player realize his cheeks burned with pain. His face had already been swollen into a grotesque mask. Terror deepened in his eyes.
“That is enough. Do not beat him to death.”
Wangchuan stopped Zhang Cha’er and tossed the Five Poison Sect disciple token onto the ground.
“Speak. Who sent you to poison and kill our branch helm members?”
…
The player trembled violently.
“Can you not kill me?”
“I do not want to die!”
At the thought of his situation, tears and snot streamed down his face. He even wet himself in fear.
Zhang Cha’er and Li Qing recoiled in disgust.
“What kind of man are you?”
“You did not even blink while poisoning our brothers. And now you are pissing yourself? Are you even a man?”
“I am not!”
The player had clearly broken down.
“I treated this as just a game! I did not know! I really do not want to die! I was wrong—I will not play anymore! I was only cultivating. Please spare me!”
“Or send me to the authorities! Lock me up! I do not want to die!”
…
“You call poisoning our brothers a game?!”
“Damn it!”
“You still want to live?”
“You still want to cultivate?”
“I will beat you to death today!”
Enraged, Zhang Cha’er struck him repeatedly. Several teeth flew from the man’s mouth. Blood covered his face.
“Helm Leader Zhang.”
Wangchuan sighed inwardly and stopped him again.
The Five Poison Sect player was already barely conscious. He likely had little health left.
Wangchuan roughly understood his intention.
The man had been using poison to kill Caobang disciples in order to cultivate Five Poison Sect techniques.
Such a person…
Deserved to die.
But Wangchuan did not wish to dirty his own hands.
“Li Qing, notify the Six Gates. Tell them we have found the poisoner. Have them come take him.”
As for whether the man would rot away in prison or be executed after autumn sentencing, that would depend on his fate.