225 Payback (1/2)
Chapter 225: Payback
Translator: TransnEditor: Transn
The death scene of the Stone Castle's Eldest Young Master, Shangguan Chui, had left a lasting impression on Shen Liang. He especially could not forget the machete techniques of the two youthful killers.
As the Heart Cleansing Yard was the Golden Roc Fort's internal justice department, once the news of Fourth Young Master Meng's murder and the discovery of assassins within the Governor's Mansion traveled back to the Stone Castle, investigations into both cases fell under Blademaster Shen Liang's responsibility. No matter what the residents of Jade City talked about, a true expert could see traces of a Golden Roc killer's handiwork in both cases.
Even though Gu Shenwei was alarmed to see the Blademaster at the Governor's Mansion, he calmly paid his respects.
Wei Song sat at the position of the host and nodded half-heartedly in return. There was wariness in his eyes and he did not say a word, hinting that Shen Liang would be in-charge of all matters.
”You are known as Yang Huan, yes?”
”Yes.” Gu Shenwei noticed that Shen Liang had brought 10 killers along with him.
”On the 3rd night of the seventh month, where were you?”
”I was at the South City with the Kun Society,” replied Gu Shenwei after a moment's thought,
”You remember very clearly.”
”I have to, as there was some incident that happened that day.”
”What incident?”
”I'm afraid I can't say.”
Shen Liang's gaze turned harsh. He knew that this killer's original master was his own nephew Shangguan Nu, but was no longer under his care as Yang Huan now belonged to the Tenth Young Master.
”As the Blademaster of the Heart Cleansing Yard, I order you to speak truthfully.”
”I seek the forgiveness of the Blademaster, but I still cannot talk about it.”
Wei Song witnessed this interrogation with an inscrutable expression. He felt that there was no one he could trust here.
Shen Liang felt a flash of anger. No one dared to disrespect him within Golden Roc Fort. ”Unless... it was Lady Meng.” He became hesitant. If what Yang Huan could not speak about was linked to the twins, he did not want to push further.
A killer came forward and suggested, ”Blademaster, the assassin took a blow on his or her back that night, and the wound could not have disappeared so quickly.”
Shen Liang understood what his killer had meant. ”Yang Huan, do you agree to disrobe for an examination?” This time, his tone was warmer.
Gu Shenwei lowered his head and thought for a moment. He then removed a stack of banknotes and some accessories from the front of this shirt, then quickly removed it. He turned around and stood back facing the others.
It was all quiet in the room, and Wei Song turned away after a glance at the youth's back. Even though the others who were present were all killers, and specialized in using torture on their victims, none of them had seen so many scars on a living person's body before.
There were simply too many scars on his back, and even the most experienced person could not have differentiated the old from the new scars. The examination could neither prove nor eliminate the possibility that Yang Huan was the assassin.
Shen Liang felt overcome by embarrassment. He had sharp instincts, and believed that both assassinations had something to do with this killer. However, he did not have any proof. If it was just an ordinary assassin in front of him, he could use the cruelest forms of torture to make the killer speak. But as to Yang Huan, he had to consider that Lady Meng could be possibly backing him.
Wei Song believed that this was all a show by the Golden Roc Fort and that it had finished. After all, how could it be possible for them to truly want to protect a Governor sent from the Central Plain? He decided to play along. ”I believe that the assassin isn't this Yang Huan. I believe that the true assassin has suffered a setback, and would never dare to return as long as the Golden Roc Fort is here to protect my mansion.”
Shen Liang took his leave in embarrassment. It was at this moment that he decided to find out the truth - even if he could not officially disclose it in the end. He wanted to know everything about Yang Huan. He wanted the youth to know that it was a huge mistake to be faking it in front of him.
Gu Shenwei felt that it was a farce as well, except that Shen Liang and Wei Song were the ones putting it up - the Central Plain was plotting behind the Golden Roc Fort to destroy it, yet these two were still trying to put up a front of giving and receiving protection.
When only the Governor and the killer were left, Wei Song spoke, ”Blademaster Shen wanted to come, and I could not bring myself to reject him. However, I've never thought of you as the assassin. The most basic reason being, why would you kill me without having gotten the reward for your actions?”
”Please check, your Honor.” Gu Shenwei presented the banknotes with both hands to the Governor.
Wei Song did not receive the notes as they did not belong to him. He replied, ”Keep it, when you go out later, somebody will give you a proof of receipt. What about the information that I asked for?”
Gu Shenwei kept the bank notes collectedly and replied, ”There's no mistake about it, and it seems rather serious, leading nearly to the total loss of kung fu.”
”Are you absolutely positive?”
”I've seen it with my own eyes.”
Wei Song slightly leaned his body, and a tinge of excitement showed on his cold, hard face. ”What evidence do you have?”
”There can be no evidence for such a thing. Your Honor would know that I'm speaking the truth by finding out more about the Wayless Qigong technique or the Wayless Book. A practitioner of such a technique suffers from periodic total loss of power.”