Book 5: Chapter 37: Sunrise Bathing Red Flower in Flames
Book 5: Chapter 37: Sunrise Bathing Red Flower in Flames
A crash noise sounded.
As the final wall was cut through by Lin Xi’s longsword, the people who gathered on the shore all couldn’t help but lean forward, many people at the front were directly pushed into the shallow waters by the people behind them. However, these people who fell into the cold river water didn’t feel any dissatisfaction towards the people behind them, many of them were just like the previous ‘Black Oil’ and ‘Stone Rats’, directly moving through the shallow waters, heading towards Exquisite Boat that had a small half torn apart.
In that instant, apart from some cries of alarm that couldn’t help but sound, as well as the splashing noises, there were no other sounds.
Once the figures in Exquisite Boat were revealed, it represented that what Lin Xi said was true, that this crime was real. When they thought about Feng Zeyi’s unwilling eyes, as well as that simple older woman’s blood that trickled along the ground… this made the townsmen who were normally simple and feared provoking things start to find it hard to control their emotions.
During these years, even though the merchants that came and went made East Port Town become more and more prosperous, most of the townsmen still lived just like before, just as simple and honest as before. They never thought that right by their sides, there was actually this type of thing happening.
…
In the cabin that was cut through, there were more than ten pale and weak women, as well as two fierce middle-aged women who were large and tall, clearly stronger than the other weak women.
Right now, the instant they saw the green longsword wielding Lin Xi and the massive crowd, these two fierce women both immediately fell weak to the ground.
The dozen or so delicate women were all extremely terrified, still not knowing what was happening. Most of them were curled up in a corner, shuddering, not knowing whether other terrifying things were about to befall them. Only a single woman dressed in red clothes dared look out, this woman who had faint scars on her face and hands struggled to open her eyes under the morning sunlight, finally seeing the Enforcer medal hanging on Lin Xi’s waist, as well as the people outside. This woman who, even though her face was covered in scars, still looked beautiful, didn’t immediately shout Silver Hook Lane’s name, instead shouting three words with all of her strength: “Death Hanging Island!”
Then, with a putong sound, she fell in the cabin, fainting.
“Bring a doctor!”
Lin Xi turned around, also shouting out three words. Then, with a wave of his hand, all of the people who rushed over immediately stopped.
They all looked at him, waiting for him to speak.
“Drag him over here.”
Lin Xi nodded towards Du Weiqing, indicating for them to bring Xu Chengfeng over.
“Which one of you dares touch me?! Do you all know who I am?!” When he saw these women revealed, and then heard Lin Xi’s voice, Xu Chengfeng suddenly became like a fierce tiger, roaring out crazily.
“Prince Xu, right now, the greater situation cannot be disobeyed, you need to calm down a bit. If anything else happens, even if Sir Xu wishes to protect you, it will be difficult.” Right at this time, the military official dressed in copper armor instead moved to his side. As if he was helping detain him, with a voice only the two of them could hear, he whispered by his ear, “I already sent out news, there will definitely be a way to put an end to this matter. Lin Xi, this person handles affairs extremely fiercely, be careful or he’ll immediately arrest you as a criminal, punish you on the spot.”
When he heard the military officer’s words, Xu Chengfeng was shocked. He lowered his head, no longer saying anything.
“I am East Port Town’s Enforcer, this person’s name is Xu Chengfeng, Silver Hook Lane’s matters have already been investigated. If you all have received any unjust treatment, please speak of them.” When he brought Xu Chengfeng over, Lin Xi looked at these women who were still curled up in a corner, doing his best to speak with the most gentle tone, slowly saying this.
This place became quiet for a few seconds.
With a wa sound, suddenly, a girl began to cry in a heart splitting, lung tearing manner.
Then, the other girls began to weep as well.
“Utterly heartless!”
A middle-aged woman on the river bank screamed out, also crying. In that instant, many sobs sounded.
“I am Wu Nianjiao, someone from Aleurites Town, married from Snow Wave Town. A month ago, when I came home to see my mother, who would have thought that I would actually encounter this person, captured by his people in the dark, he… he was the first to defile me, and even had us attend to other people…”
“I am Zhu Ling’er, from Swallow Descent Town…”
As these girls spoke while shedding tears of blood, things that made one’s hair stand up in anger were exposed under the morning radiance one after another.
“Execute this brute!”
“Cut this malicious and duplicitous bastard into a thousand pieces!”
“…”
More and more voices of fury sounded, becoming louder and louder.
Lian Zhanshan was Lin Xi’s direct superior. When solving this type of huge case, according to normal reasoning, he should be happy, but right now, his expression instead became more and more ugly. He couldn’t help but look towards the town’s eastern side.
Right now, Lin Xi wasn’t in a rush. As the testimonies of these women, as well as Gao Zhe and the others were recorded, there was already no way for Xu Chengfeng to separate himself from his relationship with Silver Hook Lane. Together with him secretly having Second Grandpa Zhang send people to seize Gao Zhe’s account book, more events of darkness and dark people should be able to be brought to light.
The more they heard these girls’ sobs, the more anger he felt inside, the more loathing he felt towards Lian Zhanshan and these people.
When he looked at the riverside wild flowers under the morning light and at the ugly faced Lian Zhanshan, he sneered and said with mockery, “Sir Lian, you gave me a deadline of seven days to crack the case, but I only used a single day of time. I wonder if sir will grant me some awards?”
Lian Zhanshan’s body suddenly shook.
A seven day deadline, according to normal reasoning, there was no way anything could be investigated, he even already thought about how he was going to write Lin Xi’s letter of misconduct. However, who would have thought that Lin Xi actually only used a day of time to truly solve this case.
Forget about Deereast City, even in this entire East Forest Province, how many Enforcers had this level of ability, had this type of efficiency?
In that instant, Lin Xi’s direct superior Lian Zhanshan was furious to the extreme, yet he didn’t say a word.
Lian Zhanshan didn’t say anything, but Lin Xi didn’t plan on letting him off. He instead took a step up, standing at his side, looking at Lian Zhanshan in mockery, using a voice that only the people around them could hear, “Sir Lian, originally, when you purposely wanted to suppress me, forcing me to solve the floating corpse case within seven days, I merely didn’t like you. Even so, I felt that you were likely spurred on by some higher officials, pressured into this situation. However, judging from your performance today, I fear that you and this military official, as well as Xu Chengfeng, aren’t completely unrelated. In my eyes, someone like you is already on the same level as the dog excrement in the river, absolutely no difference.”
“You!”
Lian Zhanshan restrained his emotions, but who would have thought that Lin Xi actually dared directly speak these types of words. In that instant, he was so angry he instead laughed, suddenly turning around to look at Lin Xi, with a voice only the two of them could hear, he said with a low voice, “Lin Xi, you are quite smart, but people who are too smart normally don’t live long.”
…
East Port Town, less than three li from Swallow Descent Town along the official path, was an ancient pavilion.
Behind the ancient pavilion was a low-lying area used by the Martial Sector as a horse ranch.
At this moment, a military official dressed in thick shiny copper armor stood in this ancient pavilion, his appearance as if thirty-six or thirty-seven years old, grave and stern, the lines of his face sharp like blades.
On the ground in front of him was a bowl of white rice as well as two bowls of strong alcoholic drinks.
The three sticks of incense in his hands had just been lit.
“Brother, leave well. I will definitely get revenge for you.”
He placed the three incense sticks in front of the white rice, drained one bowl of strong alcohol in one gulp, and then poured the other bowl onto the ground.
Then he got up, leaving the pavilion, getting on a warhorse.
As he got on the horse, in the horse ranch not far behind him, sounds of hooves sounded like thunder. Fifty soldiers carrying long black blades, longbows and arrow quivers on their backs rushed out on horses. With him at the lead, they swept towards East Port Town like wind.
…
On the beach where East Port Town’s Silver Hook Lane was, the civilians who gathered all heard strange noises. They looked towards the east.
Soon, an array of imposing cavalry appeared in their line of sight. They all carried weapons on them, possessing a deep cold aura unique to Yunqin’s army.
The river winds immediately became cold.
“I’m not a normal person.”
Lin Xi also saw the array of Yunqin army. He turned around, saying this to the gloomy and silent Lian Zhanshan.
He already said this once before when Lian Zhanshan told him that people who were too smart normally didn’t live too long. However, right now, when he saw the Yunqin army that suddenly charged here, he instead repeated it again, and then added, “It is precisely because I am not a normal person, that I won’t act as you all expect me to. That is why I fear that you might only experience further disappointment.”
Lian Zhanshan’s brows jumped slightly, continuing to remain silent. Meanwhile, the military officer and Xu Chengfeng’s faces revealed a hint of joy.
Yunqin’s army got closer and closer.
When he was still a hundred steps from the crowd, the grave and stern military officer dressed in thick shiny copper armor, suddenly raised his hand and then clenched his fist.
With just this simple move, the fifty cavalry behind him completely came to an orderly stop, no longer making any movements, only silently controlling their horses, waiting.
Even though judging from the armor style, it seemed like this was only the local army, even if it was only the local army, it still already displayed the domineering presence Yunqin’s army possessed.
This grave-faced military officer got off the horse, walking towards where Lin Xi, Lian Zhanshan and others were. His gait was extremely steady, the distance of every step almost identical, carrying a unique cadence.
Everyone knew the purpose for this grave-faced military officer’s arrival, but his body gave off a type of special aura, making everyone in front subconsciously move to the side.
This grave-faced officer walked all the way until he wasn’t far from Lin Xi, and only then did he stop.
“I am Martial Sector’s Thousand Chief Wei Xianwu.” After walking up to Lin Xi, this grave-faced military official introduced himself to Lin Xi in a cold and detached manner.
“Because of this case’s severity, according to the Military Prison’s orders, starting from now, this case will be taken over by Justice Sector and Martial Sector. I need to ask Enforcer Lin to hand over all of the people involved in the case to me, to be brought back to the Military Prison for interrogation and investigation.” Without waiting for Lin Xi to reply, this grave military official looked at Lin Xi, continuing to speak coldly.