80: Chapter 80 Swift and Decisive Measures

Hall Master Lie Fentian frowned slightly, a flicker of disappointment crossing his crimson face, but he did not reproach him, merely sighing, "Very well. Since the Opportunity has not yet arrived, it cannot be forced. Such eccentric experts have unpredictable movements; perhaps they will appear when the black market opens next time. Note this matter down for now, and keep a closer watch in the future."

"Yes, Revered Master." Constable Lie Ming bowed his head and replied, then immediately changed the subject, "There is one more matter I wish to report to you, Revered Master. Since I no longer have any hope of joining the Imperial Guard, and I have nothing but my martial arts skills, I wish to find a proper job to help ease the burden on the Martial Arts Hall and to secure a path for my future. I wish to... go to the West City County Yamen and seek the position of Chief Constable. I wonder what you think of this, Revered Master?"

"Go to the County Yamen to be a Chief Constable?" Hall Master Lie Fentian pondered for a moment and nodded, "Hmm, that is indeed a viable path. With your Second Grade Middle Stage cultivation, being a Chief Constable is more than enough. I have some connections with Magistrate Zhou Wenhai. Since you wish to go, I will write a letter to recommend you. Now that you cannot enter the Imperial Guard, establishing yourself in the County Yamen gives you an official status, which is beneficial for the Martial Arts Hall and for you personally. I will handle this matter."

"Thank you for your support, Revered Master!" Constable Lie Ming felt a surge of joy and hurriedly bowed to express his gratitude.

With a personal recommendation letter from the Liehuo Hall Master, and given Constable Lie Ming's own impressive strength and his status as a "former hot candidate for the Imperial Guard assessment," Magistrate Zhou Wenhai of West City considered it briefly and nodded in agreement.

Thus, Constable Lie Ming successfully filled the vacancy left by Chief Constable Liu Heng and became the new Chief Constable of the West City County Yamen.

This appointment caused quite a stir within the County Yamen. The position of Chief Constable oversaw the law and order and arrests of the entire county, holding significant authority and lucrative perks.

Originally, several senior constables with good strength had been competing in secret, all hoping to get the position. They had not expected it to be taken by a young man under twenty who was an outsider from a Martial Arts Hall, so they were naturally unconvinced.

In the first few days after he took office, several constables who prided themselves on their seniority joined forces to trip Constable Lie Ming up, both openly and secretly, doing the bare minimum and even openly questioning his orders.

Constable Lie Ming was not a pushover. Now that his cultivation had reached the Second Grade Middle Stage, and with the Demonic Cult matter pressing on his pain points, he was bottling up a fierce, evil fire with nowhere to vent.

Facing these provocations, he did not hold back. Using the excuse of "insubordination and delaying official business," he dragged out the three who were the most troublesome in front of everyone. With his overbearing Second Grade Middle Stage strength, he broke their bones and tendons in just a few punches and kicks, leaving them coughing up blood on the ground and completely stripped of any ability to resist.

His ruthless methods, combined with his undisguised killing intent and formidable strength, instantly intimidated all the unconvinced constables.

Looking at their colleagues wailing on the ground, no one dared to have any objections anymore, and they all bowed their heads to obey.

With his iron-fisted methods, Constable Lie Ming quickly took control of the force under his command.

After rectifying the internal situation, Constable Lie Ming began to carry out the Demonic Cult's plan. Being the Chief Constable was only the first step.

The second step was to "fabricate" a case involving a "Demonic Cult spy" and use this to lead the clues toward Tingtao Villa outside the city.

The "Demonic Cult spy" was naturally non-existent, but Constable Lie Ming now held authority; whoever he said was a spy was a spy.

The first person he thought of was naturally to take revenge on Lin Tian. If it weren't for Lin Tian, how could he have ended up in this state, and how could he be controlled by the Demonic Cult?

He sent people to carefully investigate Lin Tian's Family background. Lin Family Village, ordinary farmers, generations of farming, had nothing to do with the Demonic Cult. Forcibly linking them would be too full of holes and easily arouse suspicion. Constable Lie Ming had to regretfully give up.

Next, he turned his target to those close to Lin Tian. Lin Tian did not have many friends; those with close relationships were none other than Senior Sister Chen Yu, Liu Yunfeng, and Wang Yu.

Senior Sister Chen Yu was the daughter of the Hall Revered Master of Qingfeng Martial Arts Hall, possessed considerable strength, and had a strong background, making her difficult to target.

Liu Yunfeng's Family dealt in textiles and other daily sundries, which was also difficult to link to the Demonic Cult. Finally, his gaze fell on Wang Yu.

The Wang Family was a mid-sized Family in Heishan City, attached to a large merchant guild, and owned many storefronts. Besides leasing them out, they also operated some businesses themselves, one of which was a medicinal herb shop.

"Medicinal herb shop... Demonic Cult... evil Medicinal Pill..." A cold glint flashed in Constable Lie Ming's eyes, and his mouth curled into a cruel arc. It is you, the Wang Family!

Having set his target, Constable Lie Ming secretly contacted The Black-Robed Man of the Demonic Cult again, asking for some "evidence" that carried a clear Demonic Cult Aura or was contaminated with evil energy.

The Black-Robed Man seemed to have been prepared, giving him several bags of dried, strange herbs with dark red blood streaks, as well as several bone shards carved with twisted runes, which faintly exuded an uncomfortable, cold, and chilling Aura.

Once Constable Lie Ming obtained the items, he felt confident. He meticulously planned and, taking advantage of the night, personally snuck into a relatively remote but well-stocked medicinal herb warehouse of the Wang Family.

He mixed those Demonic Cult "evidence" items into several batches of ordinary medicinal herbs that had just arrived and had not yet been sorted, making it seamless.

The next day, the Wang Family's medicinal herb shop opened as usual, with people coming and going, and nothing seemed amiss.

Near noon, Constable Lie Ming personally led over twenty fierce constables to the front of the shop, arriving with great momentum. Without a word, he directly ordered, "Seal it! Everyone, do not move!"

"What are you doing?! By what right do you seal our shop?!" The Wang Family steward was shocked and angry, stepping forward to argue.

Constable Lie Ming sneered and showed his Chief Constable badge, his voice cold, "By the order of the Magistrate, we are investigating a Demonic Cult spy case! We received a secret report that your Wang Family shop is hiding forbidden items of the Demonic Cult and colluding with evildoers! Search it for me! Search carefully! Do not let any corner go unchecked!"

The constables under his command had already received their instructions and rushed into the shop like wolves and tigers, starting to rummage through boxes and cabinets, searching violently.

The shop assistants and customers were scared out of their wits and fled one after another. Before long, one constable "exclaimed" as he dug out those strange herbs with dark red blood streaks and the rune-carved bone shards from a pile of medicinal herbs waiting to be sorted!

"Found it! Chief Constable! It's here! Such heavy evil energy!"

Constable Lie Ming stepped forward, feigning a grave expression as he picked up the "evidence" and examined it carefully. Then, his face darkened, and he shouted sternly, "Caught red-handed! Do you still dare to quibble? Take them down! Bring everyone in the shop back to the Yamen! Seal all account books and goods! Send people to search the Wang Family's main residence as well!"

"We are wronged! My Lord! These are not our things! We have never purchased such medicinal herbs! Someone must be framing us!" The Wang Family steward and several assistants were terrified, their Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering, crying out in protest.

"Hmph! Whether you are being framed or not, it will be clear once we return to the Yamen! Take them away!" Constable Lie Ming ignored them completely and waved his hand, ordering his men to lock up everyone in the shop.

At the same time, another team of constables headed straight for the Wang Family's main residence, using the excuse of "suspected collusion with the Demonic Cult" to arrest the entire Wang Family, dozens in total, regardless of whether they were Revered Masters or servants, and threw them into the dungeon.

For a time, the Wang Family was in chaos, with cries shaking the heavens.

The news of the Wang Family "hiding forbidden items of the Demonic Cult" spread like wildfire throughout West City and alarmed the entire County Yamen. Anything involving the Demonic Cult was no small matter.

Magistrate Zhou Wenhai, upon hearing the report, immediately rushed to the sealed shop and the detention cells to inspect the prisoners.

When he saw the medicinal herbs exuding ominous blood streaks and felt the chilling, evil Aura from the bone shards that made his heart tremble, his face darkened instantly, as if it could drip water.

Although he was not a top-tier martial arts expert, he was knowledgeable and could feel that these things were by no means ordinary evil objects; they were indeed quite similar to some of the methods of the Demonic Cult as rumored.

"Investigate! Investigate this thoroughly for me! Interrogate the Wang Family members separately. It is imperative to find out where these things came from, what connection they have with the Demonic Cult, through what channels they communicate, and what other accomplices they have in Heishan City!" Magistrate Zhou Wenhai ordered sternly, cold light flashing in his eyes.

The matter of the Demonic Cult concerned his official position, and even his life; he could not afford to be careless in the slightest.

"And!" He looked at Constable Lie Ming, who was standing solemnly to the side, "Besides the Wang Family, thoroughly investigate all merchant guilds, families, and individuals who have close dealings with the Wang Family! Especially those trades that might be related to medicinal herbs, Ore, or even the movement of people! You must dig out all the remnants of the Demonic Cult hidden in the city!"

"This subordinate obeys!" Constable Lie Ming cupped his fists in acknowledgment, his heart filled with coldness and triumph. The plan was proceeding according to plan. Magistrate Zhou Wenhai's seriousness was exactly what he wanted.

"My Lord," a constable stepped forward to report, "Most of the Wang Family members involved in the case have been brought to justice. It is just that... the young Revered Master of the Wang Family, Wang Yu, is currently not at home, nor is he at the shop; he has not yet been apprehended."

"Wang Yu?" Constable Lie Ming frowned, feigning displeasure, "He ran away?"

"Reporting to the Chief Constable, according to investigations, Wang Yu usually practices martial arts at Qingfeng Martial Arts Hall. He went to the Martial Arts Hall early this morning and has not returned yet. The brothers... dare not trespass into Qingfeng Martial Arts Hall to make an arrest." The constable said in a low voice, his tone filled with difficulty.

Qingfeng Martial Arts Hall was one of the three major martial arts halls, and its Hall Revered Master, Hall Master Chen Qingfeng, possessed formidable strength and had connections with the Magistrate; ordinary constables indeed dared not easily go there to make an arrest.

"Useless!" Constable Lie Ming snorted coldly, but a flicker of imperceptible harshness and... faint excitement flashed in his eyes.

Qingfeng Martial Arts Hall? Didn't Lin Tian also often go there? Perfect!

He turned to Magistrate Zhou Wenhai and said, "Magistrate, that Wang Yu is a key figure and may know more inside information. He must be apprehended as soon as possible to prevent him from fleeing upon hearing the wind, or colluding with his accomplices. Although Qingfeng Martial Arts Hall is not an ordinary place, since this involves a major Demonic Cult case, I believe Hall Master Chen Qingfeng would not dare to openly harbor a suspect! I request permission to personally lead men to Qingfeng Martial Arts Hall to arrest Wang Yu!"

Magistrate Zhou Wenhai pondered for a moment and nodded, "Good! Take my official warrant and go. Remember, try not to conflict with Hall Revered Master Chen; just take Wang Yu away. If Hall Revered Master Chen asks, say it is a routine questioning, and he will be released once verified."

"This subordinate understands!" Constable Lie Ming took the warrant, a cold glint flashing in his eyes, and waved his hand to select over a dozen capable constables, "Follow me! To Qingfeng Martial Arts Hall!"