Catching Monsters

Chapter 414 Tomorrow's Action
Four days later at noon, on an official road twenty miles outside Haiyan City.

Two fast horses were galloping along the official road.

Jiang Yun and Leng Liuer rode side by side on horseback.

"So, how's it going with your considerations these past few days? When you get to our Eastern Garrison, I'll promote you directly to commander of a thousand." Jiang Yun chatted with Leng Liuer with a smile on his face.

Leng Liuer rolled her eyes at Jiang Yun and slowly said, "Do I look like I'm interested in getting promoted?"

"If I wanted a promotion, would I be slower than you?"

Jiang Yun, riding his horse, was choked and unable to retaliate.

Of course, Jiang Yun knew that this guy always spoke like this; it was just like that when they first met.

To put it nicely, it's because of a straightforward personality; to put it bluntly, it's because she doesn't think things through before she speaks.

It wasn't that I was deliberately targeting myself.

"We're almost there."

There was a post station ahead.

This post station was not under the control of the rebels. Of course, as is common sense, once the rebels captured Haiyan City, they would naturally want to quickly expand their influence to the surrounding areas.

The area surrounding Haiyan City was quickly brought under control.

But while calling this group of rebels a makeshift group wouldn't be an exaggeration, labeling them a rabble wouldn't be an overstatement either.

After capturing Haiyan City, all the rebel soldiers wanted to enjoy themselves in the city.

He was originally a poor peasant, but now he has finally managed to rebel and even capture Haiyan City, a wealthy city.

Why not enjoy it?
Why would they come to the wilderness to attack a post station? That's just asking for trouble.

This post station also became a gathering place for the Imperial Guards under Zidane's command.

As Jiang Yun and Leng Liuer approached the post station, soon Jinyiwei (Imperial Guards) on duty emerged from the bushes in the nearby woods.

Upon seeing that it was Jiang Yun, he whistled rhythmically. Soon, Qi Da, who heard the whistle, hurriedly came out to greet him.

"Lord Jiang, Brother Leng." Qi Da naturally recognized Leng Liuer as well; he had accompanied Leng Liuer when he went to Xishu Province.

Leng Liuer naturally kept a cold face, only nodding politely as a formality.

Jiang Yun led him directly into the house with Qi Da, and asked, "How is the situation?"

"This time, I brought all four hundred of my men with me. I have already sent three hundred men in disguise into the city, and left another one hundred men here to wait. Once we have gathered information, we will act quickly."

Leng Liuer was somewhat surprised and couldn't help but ask, "Are these rebels allowed into the city?"

Zidane chuckled and explained, "Calling these guys a rabble is an understatement..."

"According to preliminary investigations, the rebel army's battle lines are too long. The 30,000-strong rebel force is stationed in Haiyan City, but the food and supplies cannot be delivered in a short time."

"The only option is to buy grain and cloth at high prices and have merchants and farmers from nearby cities bring supplies into the city. Otherwise, the grain and fodder for 30,000 troops will run out in no time."

Upon hearing this, Leng Liuer simply nodded and did not ask any further questions.

After pondering for a moment, Jiang Yun finally asked, "Where have we progressed in our investigation?"

"We have basically locked onto the target. The target should be in the Haiyan City government office. However, we haven't yet determined the exact location, the enemy's deployment, or the number of their experts."

Without Jiang Yun's arrival, he dared not act rashly.

The safest course of action to rescue Xiao Jingfu would definitely be for Jiang Yun, a third-grade cultivator, to intervene.

……

After making those remarks, Xiao Jingfu's treatment in Haiyan City plummeted, and the beautiful women he had previously worked with disappeared.

The good food is gone.

He was imprisoned in a woodshed and tied to the ground with ropes.

At this moment, footsteps sounded outside. Chen Honghao walked in from outside the door with a cold face, holding a bowl of spoiled porridge in his hand, which he slowly placed in front of Xiao Jingfu.

"Your Highness, it's time to eat something," Chen Honghao said slowly.

"Is this all you give me every day?" Xiao Jingfu snorted coldly, turned his head away, and said indifferently, "I have never eaten anything like this in my entire life."

"Even the dogs in my manor have never eaten such spoiled porridge."

"I'll kick this porridge over in a minute."

Chen Honghao had heard this for several days. Xiao Jingfu was very stubborn, but every time he turned to leave, he would obediently lick the bowl of porridge clean.

After all, this is the only bowl of food they eat each day; if they don't eat, they'll go hungry.

"What has the Fourth Prince thought of my proposal?" Chen Honghao said calmly. "As long as you are willing to recognize His Majesty Liu Yu as your godfather, I can forgive and forget your past disobedience."

"Do I look like such a weak person?" Xiao Jingfu asked coldly. Chen Honghao, however, was quite patient and slowly said, "The Xiao family's rule is nearing its end. Has Your Highness not yet left the capital to see it?"

"The people outside are already struggling to survive, yet our rebel army, once it starts, receives widespread support from all sides. Why do you think that is?"

"Isn't it because your Zhou Dynasty court oppresses the people too much?"

"For the sake of all living beings..."

Xiao Jingfu understood, rolled his eyes at him, and said indifferently, "Don't talk about the common people and morality all the time."

"You rebels, after entering Haiyan City, you burned, killed, and looted. What heinous things haven't you done?"

Chen Honghao took a deep breath and slowly said, "This is just a temporary price to pay to deal with your Zhou Dynasty court."

"I believe these people will understand once our rebel army wins."

"Stop talking nonsense and get lost." Xiao Jingfu was too lazy to waste any more words on this bastard.

He only had one bowl of thin porridge a day, and staring at that bowl of spoiled porridge, he swallowed his saliva several times.

I was thinking that after that bastard left, I could have a good drink.

Chen Honghao showed no intention of leaving. Instead, he called out to the door, "Lord Sun, since this Fourth Prince refuses to listen to reason, please come in and use some tricks on him."

Outside the door, an old man from the demonic path slowly walked in. This man was none other than Sun Wuji, a powerful third-grade demonic cultivator from the rebel army.

Sun Wuji had been protecting Liu Yu in other cities until he heard that a fourth prince had been captured in Haiyan City, so he rushed over immediately.

His gaze fell on Xiao Jingfu, and a smile appeared on his wrinkled face. He slowly stepped forward, reached out and touched Xiao Jingfu's face, and said, "Your Highness, since you are unwilling to cooperate with us, you'll probably have to suffer a bit."

After saying that, Sun Wuji took out a pitch-black worm, which was about the size of a thumb and was still wriggling.

He pried open Xiao Jingfu's mouth and stuffed the worm into it.

Xiao Jingfu didn't find it unpalatable...

For someone as hungry as him, whose vision was almost black, eating this worm suddenly made his stomach feel much better.

After finishing his meal, he even drank a sip of the spoiled porridge…

My first thought was, "It tastes really good."

The second reaction was...

Damn, the bugs that bastard fed himself are probably something fishy.

"What did you give me to eat?" Xiao Jingfu stared at Sun Wuji with wide eyes and asked through gritted teeth.

Sun Wuji smiled faintly and said slowly, "It's just to make the Fourth Prince obedient and act as a puppet."

After saying that, Sun Wuji took out a bell from his hand and shook it gently.

Suddenly, Xiao Jingfu felt a sharp, intense pain in his abdomen.

The pain caused Xiao Jingfu to widen his eyes and fall heavily to the ground, rolling and screaming in agony. His screams seemed to be heard throughout the entire government office.

This is a type of Gu technique mastered by Sun Wuji, which can cause extreme suffering to the person being Gu-inflicted without harming their life.

The intense pain quickly soaked Xiao Jingfu in sweat.

He was in so much pain that the veins on his body bulged, and his eyeballs seemed to be bulging out of their sockets.

Finally, Sun Wuji stopped ringing the bell, and the intense pain gradually subsided. However, Xiao Jingfu, who had been tortured to the point of lying on the ground, looked at the bell with fear in his eyes.

This pain was far beyond his ability to endure.

Sun Wuji was about to shake the bell in his hand again when Xiao Jingfu shook his head in fear: "No, no, I'll listen to you. I'll do whatever you want."

Upon hearing this, Sun Wuji smiled and said, "Then tomorrow at noon, we will set up a stage for you again so that you can announce that you will honor His Majesty Liu Yu as your godfather. Are you willing?"

Upon hearing this condition, a look of humiliation appeared in Xiao Jingfu's eyes.

Seeing this, Sun Wuji shook the bell in his hand again, and the excruciating pain struck once more.

Xiao Jingfu rolled on the ground, trembling with pain. Finally, he could no longer bear it and gritted his teeth, shouting, "I promise, I promise!"

……

Inside the post station, Jiang Yun, Leng Liuer, and Qi Da were eating when suddenly a Jinyiwei spy ran in from outside.

The scout, looking flustered, quickly approached Jiang Yun and respectfully said, "Reporting to the Garrison Commander, we have news!"

"The rebels in the city are now posting notices everywhere, announcing that His Highness the Fourth Prince will take the stage again tomorrow to announce something important."

"And the rebels made it so that all the people in the city would have to go to that high platform to watch the show."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yun frowned deeply and said in a deep voice, "Give the order for everyone to enter the city and lie in ambush. We will take action tomorrow."

(End of this chapter)