CHAPTER 161: CHAPTER 138 FELLOW DISCIPLES (4K)

「Garrison.」

Li Ang appeared calm, but his mind was racing.

He had long anticipated this scene. When he left Chang’an City with Jiao Cheng and the others for the underground palace near the Ghost Market, several women from Pingkang Square on a pleasure barge had seen him. Moreover, remnants of silver thread, used for suturing wounds, were found on the corpses of Jiao Cheng and the others in the underground palace. After Jiao Cheng’s death, Pingkang Square appointed a new steward. The Ministry of Justice, Wannian County, and other authorities tacitly ceased further investigation. But if someone wanted to investigate, the clues would sooner or later lead back to him.

The only question was... why the Garrison, and why now?

Li Ang stroked his chin. While telling the two Garrison Judges he was "available," his mind was working furiously.

His current status was twofold: an Academic Palace Disciple and a Founding County Marquis. With a title to his name, he was already part of the privileged class. Even when meeting court officials or members of the Royal Family, he didn’t need to perform grand salutations. Without conclusive evidence, who would dare suspect him, let alone investigate him? Two Garrison Judges were far from qualified; it would require someone at least at the Assistant level.

Furthermore, even if the Garrison had evidence confirming his deep involvement in Jiao Cheng’s death and his possession of the Mutated Objects from the Sword Immortal Tomb, they should have come with the Academic Palace. There was no direct conflict between the Garrison and the Academic Palace; they often handled matters jointly.

Could there be deeper, hidden reasons? For instance, did someone—or some people—suspect he had hidden the archive Jiao Cheng left behind, an archive filled with damning information about powerful figures? Was that why they had brazenly knocked on his door, disregarding all taboos, to intimidate and imply things? Or was the Mo Si from the Sword Immortal Tomb far more significant than he had imagined, and Jiao Cheng’s mastermind was willing to take such a desperate risk?

"I believe this is a misunderstanding. I can go to the Garrison, but I need a Doctor from the Academic Palace to accompany me. Is that acceptable?" Li Ang asked. "This request should be within the Garrison’s permissible scope, shouldn’t it?"

"This..." The two Judges frowned and exchanged a glance.

Li Ang tried to imagine what they were thinking. The Garrison’s Judges handled cases imperiously and arbitrarily. For example, someone like Huai Rui, a Gold Department Doctor of the upper fifth rank, would be directly imprisoned and interrogated once his guilt was determined. Ordinary criminals, upon hearing they were to be taken to the Garrison, would be scared half to death; some even committed suicide out of fear of punishment. Their current politeness was entirely due to his status as an Academic Palace Disciple and a Founding County Marquis. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be a request for assistance in an investigation; a large contingent of troops would have stormed into Golden City Square and dragged him away.

"It is possible," the middle-aged Judge drawled slightly, "but Mr. Li, are you sure you want to do this?"

"Oh?" Li Ang paused. What did he mean? Wasn’t it perfectly normal for Academic Palace Disciples to seek help from the Academic Palace when they encountered trouble? Could they be conducting a secret investigation?

"I don’t understand what you two are saying." Li Ang narrowed his eyes slightly, silently awakening Mo Si and activating the new function it had acquired after consuming the green-black stone statue: emotion perception.

As his intent surged, Mo Si awakened. A dense flood of fragmented information poured into Li Ang’s brain. The neighbors’ resentment, quarrels, and anger—all these negative emotions rushed towards Li Ang. He spontaneously felt an overwhelming irritation, an urge to unleash Mo Si and ignite the Karmic Fire.

Li Ang suppressed the turmoil in his heart and looked at the two Garrison Judges standing at the door. His gaze suddenly fixed.

They showed no emotion, no emotional fluctuations whatsoever. Just like... two walking corpses.

The two Judges smiled faintly. "Huai De Square, third street, fifteenth house. Yizhou, west bank of Yishui Bridge, seventh house. Mr. Li, do you recall these places?"

"..." Li Ang’s gaze froze. A murderous intent surged from the depths of his heart.

"You are not from the Garrison," Li Ang stated coldly, the chill in his voice almost freezing the air.

The two addresses they mentioned were Song Shaoyuan’s and You Douzhi’s residences, and Aunt Song’s Lansheng Building in Yizhou City, respectively.

Even the most arrogant and willful mid-level Garrison officers, or Jiao Cheng’s mastermind desperate for the so-called information, would never dare commit such an outrage. Using the family of an Academic Palace Disciple as leverage was unthinkable. This was crossing the Academic Palace’s bottom line. If exposed, even members of the royal family or the Prime Minister himself would inevitably die without a burial place.

"Yes, and no." The two ’Judges’ exchanged a smile and simultaneously raised their hands to their temples, pinching something with their fingertips.

SQUEAK—

With a faint sound, each ’Judge’ pulled a long, slender, silver-white needle from their temple. The needles were inserted at an angle, their length and position allowing them to precisely penetrate both hemispheres of their brains. Their surfaces were still smeared with droplets of blood and a greasy mixture of red and white brain matter.

"And here, here, and here." The two Garrison Judges slightly pulled out several more needles from their heads and bodies, all while maintaining a bizarre smile.

"Who exactly are you?" Li Ang asked calmly.

A normal person, riddled with needles like a pincushion, would have been in unbearable pain and unable to move. The two Judges before him were obviously being controlled by someone, or some people. They had come to his doorstep to threaten him with the lives of Song Shaoyuan, Aunt Song, and others.

"To some extent, you could consider me your junior."

The two ’Judges’ pushed the needles on their faces and bodies back beneath their skin. Their voices were perfectly synchronized, and even the upward tilt of their smiles was identical. "Just a friendly reminder: I know you’re wearing that Protective Talisman written by Lian Xuanyao. It will activate upon detecting Spiritual Energy fluctuations, shielding you from any attacks below the Xuanxiao Realm."