62: Chapter 62 Wanted, Betrayal

A few hours later.

Before Chen Ran even reached the entrance of the prison, he smelled a burnt odor.

Looking up, half of the perimeter wall had already collapsed.

The arrow tower was broken, and the black smoke had not yet dissipated.

The ground was covered in rubble and broken wood. Several stretchers were being carried out from inside the gate; the human shapes beneath the white cloths were uneven, and blood was still dripping from the corners.

It seemed that last night's battle had truly turned the prison upside down.

"Brother Chen!"

A familiar jailer hurried over, his right arm wrapped in a blood-stained cloth, his face streaked with black and gray, looking as if he had just been dug out of the ruins.

"You've finally returned. I thought you had also perished inside."

"I saw the situation was bad, so I quickly ran toward the back mountain." Chen Ran handed over the water flask at his waist. "No one came from the city?"

"Fat chance." The jailer took a gulp, his throat finally feeling better.

"Last night, the south side of the city exploded into chaos. I don't know who started the rumor that a peerless martial art was hidden in the granary. That bunch of Jianghu people heard it and their eyes turned red; they were looting and killing all over the streets. Most of the Demon Suppression Division personnel were pulled away, so how could they possibly care about our prison?"

Chen Ran glanced toward the south side of the city and didn't respond.

The jailer cursed a couple of times, then lowered his voice. "The Cell Block D had it the worst. The brothers on duty there are either dead or buried. If you hadn't been promoted to the Demon Suppression Division, you would have been in trouble last night too."

"Just lucky, that's all." Chen Ran took back the water flask and stepped inside.

Along the way, sword marks were still on the walls, and no one had had time to wipe the bloodstains off the ground.

Servants were moving things back and forth, everyone wearing tense expressions, not daring to speak loudly.

Chen Ran had just entered the duty room and hadn't even had time to change his clothes when Li Changfeng pushed the door open in a hurry.

"Chen Ran, Centurion Zhao Wuji wants to see you."

Chen Ran turned his head. "Now?"

"Now." Li Changfeng glanced at him, his voice very low. "The incident at the Cell Block D occurred last night, and the Red Lotus Witch has gone missing. Since you were the one guarding her, he will definitely ask."

Speaking of this, Li Changfeng paused.

"Centurion Zhao Wuji is very angry today. Don't beat around the bush when you speak."

Chen Ran grunted in acknowledgment, put down the clean clothes in his hand, and followed him out.

The temporary meeting hall was set up in the outer wing.

As soon as the door was pushed open, a smell of blood mixed with cheap incense rushed out, stinging the nose.

Centurion Zhao Wuji sat at the head of the table, bloodstains still on his official uniform, with several rosters spread out on the desk. Hearing footsteps, he didn't even raise his head.

"Chen Ran?"

"This subordinate is here."

"What happened at the Cell Block D last night?"

Centurion Zhao Wuji asked quickly, without a word of wasted breath.

"Sir, last night the prison collapsed due to the aftershocks, and many prisoners escaped. After I barely managed to kill a few, I prepared to head toward the back..."

Chen Ran briefly recounted what happened.

The room was silent for a moment.

Li Changfeng stood to the side, his back stiff.

Centurion Zhao Wuji tapped his fingers on the table twice and continued to ask, "What about the Red Lotus Witch?"

Chen Ran seemed to recall for a moment before speaking. "Later, a Commander arrived."

"Who?" Centurion Zhao Wuji interrupted directly.

"He said his surname is Fan Zhiyuan." Chen Ran answered steadily. "He held a Commander's token and demanded to take the Red Lotus Witch as soon as he entered. This subordinate did not dare to stop him and only dared to hide behind the corridor entrance to take a look."

Centurion Zhao Wuji leaned forward slightly. "What did he look like?"

"He had a burly build with a scar on his left cheek," Chen Ran said. "He was walking in a hurry, and the hem of his robe was stained with blood, as if he had been injured."

"Which way did he go?"

"The secret passage in the back mountain."

Centurion Zhao Wuji stared at him. "Did you see clearly?"

Chen Ran replied, "This subordinate would not dare to speak nonsense about such matters. Before that person left, he turned his head to glance back, and I happened to see half of his face at that moment."

Centurion Zhao Wuji didn't say anything.

The room became even quieter. Outside the door, someone was moving boxes; wooden wheels ground over the stone slabs with a creaking sound, slowly dragging past the window.

After a few breaths, Centurion Zhao Wuji suddenly cursed.

"Fan Zhiyuan."

He stood up and paced twice in the room, his shoe soles making the floor creak loudly.

"Good, very good. Eating the rice of the Demon Suppression Division, only to turn around and work for the Demon Sect."

Li Changfeng stood to the side without responding.

Centurion Zhao Wuji stopped pacing and looked at Chen Ran again. "You didn't pursue him last night?"

"This subordinate did not dare," Chen Ran answered crisply. "At that time, I was injured, and there were prisoners running around in front. If I had truly chased after him, it would have been suicide."

After this sentence was spoken, Centurion Zhao Wuji actually nodded.

"You still have some brains."

He sat back down, turned a page of the roster, and his tone relaxed slightly.

"You didn't die in the chaos and you remembered the person. Li Changfeng, approve his promotion to full status today. Don't let him rot in the Cell Block D anymore."

"Yes, sir." Li Changfeng immediately responded.

Chen Ran clasped his hands. "Thank you for the promotion, sir."

Centurion Zhao Wuji waved his hand, clearly no longer wanting to say much.

"Go on."

...

Early the next morning, quite a few people were gathered at the prison entrance.

The area in front of the notice board was packed, with people from the Demon Suppression Division as well as idlers looking for excitement. Some were standing on tiptoe, some were craning their necks, and they were talking one after another, making it as noisy as a vegetable market.

Chen Ran had changed into the standard black robe of the Demon Suppression Division, a copper token added to his waist, and he stood outside the crowd watching.

The wanted poster was posted right in the center.

[Wanted Criminal: Fan Zhiyuan. Former Demon Suppression Division Commander, colluded with the Demon Sect, abducted a high-profile prisoner, heinous crimes. Anyone who provides clues will be rewarded with ten thousand taels of silver; those who capture or kill this villain will be promoted three ranks!]

"Tsk, ten thousand taels of silver."

Liu Mingyu popped up from somewhere, stood next to Chen Ran, his eyes almost glued to that piece of paper.

"This isn't just a wanted criminal; this is a walking mountain of gold. Whoever manages to catch him can walk sideways for the rest of their life."

Chen Ran glanced at him. "The prerequisite is surviving until the day you receive the reward."

"That's true too." Liu Mingyu smacked his lips. "A Fifth-Rank expert; if it were me, I probably wouldn't even be able to take one slap from him."

After speaking, he turned to look at the black robe on Chen Ran and chuckled.

"But having said that, even though Fan Zhiyuan is unlucky, you've really risen up this time, kid."

He reached out and patted Chen Ran on the arm.

"Yesterday you were still a jailer, and today you're officially wearing the black robe. From now on, when I see you, do I have to call you Master Chen first?"

Chen Ran laughed. "Brother Liu, if you really call me that, I'll take off this badge right now."

"That won't do, this is a proper status." Liu Mingyu looked serious, then lowered his voice. "I heard that Centurion Zhao Wuji mentioned you by name last night. In the future, if you really climb higher, don't pretend you don't know me. We've at least eaten from the same pot."

"I'll remember." Chen Ran replied.

Liu Mingyu was finally satisfied and continued to stare at the wanted poster in amazement. "Look at this portrait, it's quite a good likeness. It's drawn as if they've actually seen the person."

Chen Ran's gaze stopped on that portrait for a moment, then shifted away.

"No matter how accurate the portrait is, the person won't be caught."

"That's true too," Liu Mingyu sighed. "Once a person like that runs, to the ends of the earth, who can find them?"

The sound of a bell rang out from the prison.

The crowd dispersed a little.

Suddenly, the sound of rapid hoofbeats came from afar, along with the exclamations of the onlookers.

Chen Ran squinted slightly and looked in the direction the sound was coming from.