21: Chapter 21 Murder to Silence

A long time passed.

Lei Laohu's eyes were bloodshot.

He suddenly raised his head, his blood-stained hands gripping the bars tightly.

"Discarded pawns... they are silencing witnesses!" Lei Laohu's features twisted, and the veins on his forehead bulged.

Lin Wan took half a step forward.

"Who is silencing you?"

"The Official Silver Case was not done by us at all!" Lei Laohu spat, his saliva flying. "It was the big shots above! They stole the goods while guarding them, swallowing the Official Silver! I and the Black Wind Fortress were just scapegoats acting as black gloves!"

Lin Wan's fingers tightened around the hilt of her blade; this news was simply too explosive for them.

At the feet of the capital, someone actually dared to hide the Official Silver?

"Who is the mastermind?"

"I don't know!" Lei Laohu panted heavily. "The person who met with us wore a demon mask and had extremely high martial arts skills. The Official Silver was never transported out of the capital; it is still in the city!"

Lin Wan turned to look at the constables behind her.

"Return to the yamen immediately and pull up all freight records for the capital from the last half month."

"Yes."

A team of men turned quickly and hurried out of the Celestial Prison.

...

Cell Block D.

The air was cold and bone-chilling.

Jiang Mengli sat cross-legged on a damp straw mat. Rune chains were wrapped around her slender wrists and ankles, glowing with a faint red light.

Chen Ran walked to the bars, placed the food box on the wooden table, and lifted the lid.

A carefully prepared dish appeared before his eyes, along with a few pots of wine.

"Lin Wan has left. That big guy confessed everything."

Jiang Mengli opened her eyes, her gaze sweeping over the food before finally resting on Chen Ran's face.

"Officialdom is dirtier than the Demonic Sect." Jiang Mengli's voice was cold.

"If the sky falls, there are tall people to hold it up; it has nothing to do with us commoners." Chen Ran stared at the stunning woman in front of him.

Although Jiang Mengli had been imprisoned in the Celestial Prison for a few days, fortunately, with his help, the environment of the entire cell could be said to be the cleanest in the prison.

Chen Ran reached through the bars and sat beside Jiang Mengli.

"Continue teaching."

Jiang Mengli did not respond, instead snorting coldly.

"The latter part of the Red Lotus Karmic Fire Scripture is too dangerous; if you continue to Cultivate it, you will only suffer Qi Deviation."

"It's fine, I don't care."

"You...!"

Jiang Mengli turned her head away and closed her eyes.

"Foot Shaoyang Gallbladder Meridian, turn to Qimen, enter Riyue. Sink your Qi to the Dantian, let the raging fire burn your heart."

Chen Ran listened to Jiang Mengli's cold recitation.

The Internal Energy within his body immediately traveled through his Meridians according to the route.

Although he had learned the Cultivation Technique, he still lacked details in some aspects.

Chen Ran put down the wine cup, stood up, and brushed the crumbs off his hands.

"Master Jiang taught well. I'll add a chicken leg tomorrow."

Jiang Mengli opened her eyes abruptly.

"Try calling me that again."

Chen Ran picked up the food box and turned to walk out.

"See you tomorrow."

...

A few days later, night.

The iron gate of the Celestial Prison slowly closed.

Chen Ran walked through the corridor of Section C.

[Stationed in the Celestial Prison, gained one year of Internal Energy.]

[Accumulated Internal Energy: 55 years]

A surge of Internal Energy was generated out of thin air, merged into his Dantian, and finally settled down.

Chen Ran discovered that the one year of Internal Energy rewarded to him was equivalent to the effect of an ordinary person Cultivating for one year.

Therefore, compared to those Geniuses, the speed was actually not very fast.

His Internal Energy was calm and steady.

Although it lacked the unique characteristics of other Cultivation Techniques, its advantage was that it could be combined at will.

Tap, tap.

He stopped in front of cell C-6.

Inside the cell, Su Yuanshan was wearing prison clothes, sitting upright on the ground covered with thin grass, his back straight.

Chen Ran passed two hot steamed buns and a bowl of vegetable soup through the wooden bars.

He still respected this official who had been framed.

Su Yuanshan took the wooden bowl. His gaze landed on Chen Ran's face.

The Celestial Prison was filled with Evil Qi all year round; ordinary jailers, after staying for a long time, would all become sallow-faced with sunken eye sockets.

But the young jailer in front of him had bright eyes and extremely vigorous blood and Qi.

"Little brother, how long have you been in the Celestial Prison?" Su Yuanshan asked while holding the bowl.

Chen Ran put away the tray.

"It's been a year. My life is tough; the Evil Qi cannot enter my body."

Su Yuanshan shook his head, his gaze fixed tightly on Chen Ran's eyes.

"I have seen countless people. Your footsteps are steady, and your breath is long. You are certainly not a creature of the pond. Why are you willing to be a lowly jailer here?"

Chen Ran smiled.

"The outside is too chaotic. The Celestial Prison provides food and shelter; it's great."

"But the world is in chaos, the imperial court is beset by internal and external troubles, how much longer can it hold on..."

Su Yuanshan sighed, lowered his head to take a bite of the bun, and stopped talking.

"Lord Su, please be careful with your words; you cannot speak recklessly in the Celestial Prison."

Chen Ran reminded him and turned to leave.

Suddenly, an extremely faint, unusual sound came from the corner of the corridor ahead.

Chen Ran stopped.

It was in the direction of Lei Laohu's cell.

Chen Ran's expression changed. A few days ago, he had heard that Lin Wan had found something from the Official Silver Case.

She had even specifically sought out Lei Laohu again; the commotion today was unusual.

...

In front of Lei Laohu's cell.

The two jailers responsible for guarding lay in a pool of blood. Their throats had been neatly slit by a Sharp Weapon, and blood was constantly gushing out.

The refined iron lock had been cut directly and had fallen to the ground.

The cell door was wide open.

A killer dressed in black night-traveling clothes stood in front of the torture rack. He held a long, narrow blade in his hand.

"Lei Laohu, you dare to snitch?"

Lei Laohu was tied tightly to the torture rack. His eyes were wide open, his face full of terror. The fat on his body trembled violently.

"Don't kill me... I didn't say anything!" Lei Laohu struggled frantically, the thick chains clanking. But his cultivation had long been Sealed, and he could not struggle free at this moment.

"Damn trash, you almost ruined the Lord's good deed."

The killer's eyes were cold, and his eyes exposed outside the mask were devoid of any emotion.

He raised his right hand, the blade turning into a ghostly blue cold light, poised to pierce straight into Lei Laohu's throat.

Suddenly, a click sounded.

The killer turned his head abruptly.

Outside the cell door stood a young man wearing a jailer's uniform.

Chen Ran looked at the two jailer corpses on the ground, his gaze landing on the killer.

The killer narrowed his eyes. Without a word, he kicked off the ground, turning into a black shadow. The short sword changed direction, heading straight for Chen Ran's face.

The speed was extremely fast, whipping up a gust of wind.

Chen Ran stood in place and drew the blade at his waist.

[Mad Tiger Blade]

A phantom image of a ferocious tiger appeared behind him, and a terrifying Aura came whistling over.

The killer's expression changed drastically, and his figure flashed backward abruptly.

Snap.

The air tore, and a penetrating wound appeared on the chest of the black-clad killer.

The killer who had been so mysterious just a moment ago became a corpse in an instant.

Chen Ran withdrew his blade and casually wiped the bloodstains off on the torture device nearby.

He turned his head, his gaze landing calmly on Lei Laohu.

Lei Laohu was trembling violently, his teeth chattering.

"I didn't see anything! I absolutely won't say anything! Spare me, sir!" Lei Laohu shook his head desperately.

Chen Ran walked slowly to the torture rack.

"You know what you shouldn't know." Chen Ran's tone was flat.

Lei Laohu's pupils contracted sharply.

Chen Ran raised his hand. With fingers like a blade, he struck directly at Lei Laohu's throat.

Crack.

The Adam's apple shattered. The neck bone broke.

Lei Laohu's head hung down limply, dead with eyes wide open.

[Prisoner C-9, Lei Laohu, is dead.]

[Sins are heavy, participation is high.]

[Gained reward: Three years of Internal Energy.]

[Gained reward: Mad Tiger Saber Technique insights (Proficient).]

A vast amount of Internal Energy surged into his body. At the same time, countless memories of slashing and blocking related to the saber technique appeared in his mind.

After Chen Ran finished arranging the scene, he stepped back a few paces and exited the cell. Suddenly, he shouted at the top of his lungs.

"Someone come! There is an assassin!"

Half an hour later.

Section C of the Celestial Prison was illuminated by dozens of torches.

Demon Suppression Division soldiers and Six Doors constables completely sealed off the entire corridor.

Lin Wan walked quickly into the cell. Looking at the killer's corpse on the ground and the dead Lei Laohu on the torture rack, her face turned livid.

Chen Ran huddled in the corner. His clothes were stained with a few drops of blood, and his body was trembling slightly.

"What happened?" Lin Wan turned to stare at Chen Ran.

Chen Ran swallowed his saliva.

"I had just finished delivering food to Censor Su. I heard a commotion over here and ran over. I saw that man in black kill two brothers, and he was about to kill Lei Laohu."

"As a result, Lei Laohu suddenly broke free and fought fiercely with the man in black."

Lin Wan did not respond. She walked to the killer's corpse and crouched down. A fatal saber wound on his chest had shredded all his internal organs.

"This is Lei Laohu's Mad Tiger Saber Technique."

Lin Wan stood up; since she was the one who arrested Lei Laohu, she naturally knew the situation, and this kind of saber mark was indeed something he could produce.

Lin Wan's gaze swept back and forth between the killer and Lei Laohu.

The traces at the scene were clear. The killer had killed the guards and died together with Lei Laohu.

Lin Wan looked at Chen Ran.

"When you arrived, was there only the assassin?"

Chen Ran nodded repeatedly.

Lin Wan's beautiful brows furrowed.

"Someone wants to silence the witness; who sent them?"

"It has nothing to do with you anymore." Lin Wan looked at the trembling Chen Ran in the corner, her tone softening for the first time. "The people above are desperate. Be careful recently, and don't run around."

Chen Ran nodded with lingering fear.

"Thank you for the reminder, Constable Lin. I will be careful in the future."

Lin Wan waved her hand.

"Go down."