The Inverted Dragon's Scale

078 – Crime of colluding with the enemies!

This was a one-sided massacre.

Led by Cui Zhaoren, his men of the Monitor Division killed hundreds of Fowl Crying Lake bandits.

They simply were not high-level opponents; after Cui Zhaoren used his sword to skewer Hua Heshang, he consecutively jumped to the other two ships and beheaded the bandit leaders Master of waves Li Xiaoer and Taihu’s devil king Zhao Sijia.

At that point, without any fighting force the Fowl Crying Lake bandits quickly collapsed.

Some people howled in grief while some knelt down begging for mercy, but an even larger number of people tried to flee.

No matter how hard they tried to escape they still can’t run.

Before Cui Zhaoren made his move he’d already commanded his subordinates to ‘kill every one of them’.

The Monitor Division is the kingdom’s Monitor Division, and also Cui Zhaoren’s Monitor Division.

The men of the Monitor Division obeyed Cui Zhaoren’s commands without question and regard his every order as a decree. If Cui Zhaoren ordered them to kill someone’s whole family, they would kill the entire family. If Cui Zhaoren commanded them to obtain a strand of hair, they would take only one strand of hair.

They would return even a surplus strand of hair.

The men, in their powerful-looking uniform, leapt out, brandishing their swords and slashing in disorder, not allowing the opportunity for those bandits to beg for mercy.

Breaking limbs, snapping arms; fresh blood staining the surface of Fowl Crying Lake.

Although the passenger ship was saved from the fire of war, but seeing this scene the students still felt their throat choking and their stomach twitching badly. If they were any more cowardly or with a poor mental state they would throw up on the spot.

Most of them are from a rich and tranquil home, when have they ever laid their eyes on the scene of mass killings?

Li Muyang was incredibly calm.

Not sure why but he did not feel anxious at all. He even felt like he had nothing to fear.

Although that side was a bloodbath, he simply sighed to himself of how vicious and merciless those groups of men in black were.

Same as other scholars, this was also the first time he left home, the first time he experienced the cruelty of a ruthless battle.

Being bullied by classmates, being ridiculed by the teacher several few times, how could that compare to what he experienced today?

However, Li Muyang just does not feel a thing. As if everything did not happen right before his eyes.

Of course, Li Muyang knows his attitude is wrong. Zhang Linpu’s body was trembling like a sieve and his penetrating eyes were sizing him up.

Li Muyang didn’t want to look different from the others. Following Zhang Linpu’s rhythm he began to quiver.

Zhang Linpu became very angry; I have my own rhythm, why did you imitate me?

And so Zhang Linpu’s trembling intensified.

Li Muyang also felt very angry, why did you suddenly speed up? You want to make me look more ‘odd’? You want to exclude me from the ‘normal’ category?

So, Li Muyang also speeded up following Zhang Linpu’s speed.

If there were some heated music and powerful drumbeat, these two would look like dance masters competing in a dance battle.

Just as Li Muyang and Zhang Linpu were swaying incessantly, suddenly the ship rocked violently.

Thump—–

A woman in colorful clothes like a butterfly was thrown to the top of the deck.

As the woman’s body dropped from the sky, a sharp and clear sound of bones fracturing could be heard.

She let out a miserable cry, but before she had the time to crawl up from the deck to flee for her life, Cui Zhaoren’s body gently moved to the side, the sword dripping with blood in his hand pressed against her throat.

His black clothes were without a trace of blood and his black cape fluttering in the breeze. His face, as beautiful as jade, was grave and gloomy, looking like the god of death from hell.

“Let me go, please let me go——I, Shui yuanyang, is willing to work for you like an ox and horse, I’ll do whatever you tell me to——-” A quite pretty woman looked frightened, urgently pleaded.

“You only have one chance.” Cui Zhaoren’s voice was ice-cold, without the slightest emotion. “Who ordered you to attack this ship?”

“No one. No one ordered us——We work as Fowl Crying Lake bandits, whenever we see beautiful ships we naturally would want to work with other companions to fish up a sum of money——-”

Make the matter simple and not touch upon any complicated aspect. This is the way of saving your life.

Suk——-

The long sword thrust down, piercing through Shui Yuanyang’s throat.

Fresh blood splattered out with the sword, instantly dyeing her neck and chest red.

Shui Yuanyang’s eyes widened but did not dare to touch with her hands. She was afraid that with a slight pressure, not only her hands would be stained with blood, her windpipe would also be cut through.

“I don’t like to hear people talk rubbish, I dislike to hear lies eveb nire.” Cui Zhaoren’s eyes were even colder. “As I said, you only have one chance, I should have killed you just now——-but unfortunately your other companions had been killed by my people. Even if I wanted to find someone to replace you, I can’t. So, this is your luck and also your misfortune——-Who directed you here? Don’t worry, think before you answer.”

Just as Cui Zhaoren was interrogating bandit Shui Yuanyang, the battles on the other three ships have ended. These men of the Monitor Division cleanly wiped out the mobs.

Now, displaying a murderous-looking expression, they distributed around the deck, their eyes carrying a killing intent and their bodies giving off a strong whiff of blood, from their enemies and also of their own.

Looking like a group of wild beasts that had been let out of a cage.

“I’ll tell you——I’ll tell you, someone notified us in advance. They said a passenger ship would pass by Fowl Crying Lake today, the ship would be full of rich scholars, and also Jiangnan’s richest merchants would be delivering large quantities of jewels to Tiandu via this ship, and the painting would be on board ——That person said he only wants that painting; all the gold, treasures and women we can split among our people——-”

“He also said the ship would be heavily guarded and skilled masters would be on board. And told us to bring more brothers, as to avoid our hopes and efforts come to nothing. So our Boss Hua made a deal with other lake bandits.

“There isn’t any rich merchants from Jiangnan nor any pearls and jewels, and the famous painting is not on the ship——-” Cui Zhaoren watched this pitiful woman like he’s looking at an idiot.

“Not good.” Cui Zhaoren suddenly awakened, immediately yelled: “The goods are in danger.”

Hua——–

Hearing Cui Zhaoren’s command, the dozen of men in black beside him instantly leapt towards the third floor.

When Cui Zhaoren reached the third floor, the door was still guarded; strategist Su Rong and several other guards were standing by the door of the cabin where the criminal was imprisoned.

“Congratulation on young lord’s great victory and return.” Strategist Su Rong said with a smile: “A group of rascals dared to obstruct the ship’s path, they deserve to die.”

“How are the goods?” Cui Zhaoren headed straight into the cabin.

“I was standing in the doorway all along, I’ve never left for even a moment.” Su Rong said. “Moreover, the areas around the cabin had were always guarded by someone, there’s also a prohibition spell, if someone touches it, the spell master should be aware, it should not——”

Su Rong did not continue his sentence.

Because when Cui Zhaoren opened the door, the cage in the room was missing.

The cage made out of gold, weighing thousand of pounds, disappeared before their eyes, and at the same time the wooden planks under the cage also vanished.

Someone was able to make a hole under their noses; the iron-wall general was rescued without anyone knowing.

This is completely unimaginable, really hard to believe.

Not only was the person able to break through the prohibition spell without the master being aware and cut through the floor without any noise, the cage, weighing thousand of pounds, along with a living person inside disappeared under the gaze of so many people and guards——-What kind of person did this?

Sha——-

The sword growled like a dragon!

Cui Zhaoren drew out his sword, as he stomped into the cabin he exerted strength and brandished his sword.

Crack—-

The aura of the sword instantly split the passenger ship down the middle

Rumble—–

Then, an enormous and heavy roof slipped down towards Fowl Crying Lake, dropping into the water with a crash.

At this moment, the sun was illuminating every corner of the land, and because of the lack of cover for the ship, there were no longer any darkness on the entire third floor.

Cui Zhaoren stood under the scorching sun, his pale complexion was like a high quality piece of white paper from Xuan City.

His eyes were like a pair of ice blades, those who look him in the eye instantly felt they were sliced into pieces.

“Young Lord, this is my fault, I did not think——–” Su Rong’s was dumbstruck, he quickly apologised. “I didn’t think they would rescue in that way, I will——–”

“Chase.” Cui Zhoaren coldly issued a command.

“Yes. A group of black-clothes men bowed and replied, then instantly surge into the air, towards the area surrounding Fowl Crying Lake. “

Cui Zhaoren stared ahead at the mile-long river in front of him and remained silent for a long time.

Everyone gathered on the top deck, including the crewmembers and boatmen of the ship.

Teams of hundreds of people, but no one dared to make any sound. Even their eyes moved gently and cautiously.

It was quiet and solemn, the air seemed to be frozen.

Even if everyone was not satisfied with this conduct, but once they saw the youngster’s black robe fluttering in the breeze and his eyes coldly glaring at them, they could only suppress the grievance in their heart, then quickly bow their head and not look him eye to eye.

Seeing the massacre just now, who would dare to stroke the tiger’s whiskers?

After they witnessed the savage ways of the group of men in black, they secretly questioned why did they suggested something so silly before——-search other people’s cabin. Is this not the same as seeking their own death?

“Everyone on board are all here.” Manager Chen Tao came close to Cui Zhaoren and cautiously reported.

“Missing anyone?”

“Just counted, we are missing one person.” Chen Tao’s head was almost as low as the crotch of his trouser.

“Who?”

“This——We don’t know at the moment. Because there’s a large number of guests, a lot of people’s names and faces, I can’t catch on——-”

“Call out their names.”

“Yes.” Chen Tao replied immediately, then without delay began to call out the names the guests left before boarding.

“Jiangnan’s Li Yikun——–”

“Jia County’s Zhang Linpu——–”

“Tin County’s Chen Qingzhi———”

———–

Every time a person’s name was read out, they walked out of the assembling group, and came to an area the monitoring division was managing.

The list of names was very quickly called out. Chen Tao came over carrying the list of names and reported: “One person is missing, he’s called Mu Qinghou.”

“Qinghou?” Cui Zhaoren laughed grimly then said in a loud voice: “Anyone recognise this person?”

No one replied.

“Those who have seen this person can keep their lives and receive two hundred gold coins as reward.”

“I’ve seen him—” A skinny scholar timidly raised his hand. “I met him before, he’s a fat guy.”

“Good, reward him two hundred gold coins.” Cui Zhoeren kept to his words; straight away someone threw a bag of gold coins into his arms.

“I’ve also seen him, I had an argument with him———”

Yes, he spoke for Li Muyang, he humiliated us——”

———-

Li Muyang?

Within all the yelling, Cui Zhaoren heard something he’s most concerned about.

“Li Muyang——-” Among the crowd he found a white-robed youngster who dares to contradict and threaten him, he glared at him with biting-cold eyes, his voice abnormally calm. “Do you know you just committed the crime of colluding with the enemies?”