Scourge Messenger

Chapter 72 Ambush (Fourth Update)

"She's gone mad."

"What a pity, such a prodigy."

"Lu Wangji devoted his life to the affairs of the country, never expecting to meet such a tragic end."

No one responded to Jiang Shi's words. Lu Wangji's death did not bring Jiang Shi any dignity; instead, it made everyone lose the desire to negotiate with her. After all, communication is something only humans can do, but in their eyes, Jiang Shi was no longer human; she was just a mad dog that had stopped running rampant.

Mad dogs don't deserve communication; they deserve beatings and knives.

"Jie Zilong, Shang Yue, are you two going to continue protecting this madwoman?" Chen Linchuan's voice was full of mockery: "If you two want to help her escape, we really can't do anything about it."

Jie Zilong glanced coldly at Chen Linchuan. When Jiang Shi was chasing Lu Wangji, only he, Shang Yue, and Zhou Ye actually put in the effort. Qun Yushu pretended to be half a step slower and did nothing. Only Chen Linchuan was deliberately making things worse by running to the front to block their attacks and buy Jiang Shi enough time to deal damage.

He had to admit that he had underestimated Chen Linchuan. This rough and unassuming soldier, who was unknown in the Chen family's messenger ranks and always appeared reckless and impulsive, also possessed a deep and unassuming shrewdness. The moment Jiang Shi attempted to assassinate Lu Wangji, he immediately knew that this was a golden opportunity. While everyone else was trying to stop Jiang Shi, only he sincerely offered Jiang Shi a helping hand.

Not all malice is a blatant knife; it can also be disguised as encouragement as you head towards your demise.

From the moment Jiang Shi killed Lu Wangji, she was no longer a talent worth investing in.

“Old Lu is my good friend,” Zhou Ye said, his usual kind smile gone, his face expressionless. He pulled out a gourd and poured wine into the long sword in his hand, as if offering a libation to a deceased friend. “Even if you don’t intend to help, I don’t want you to stop me, unless…”

With a powerful swing, the longsword burst into flames like a tinderbox, transforming into a raging inferno!

"You all want to experience the taste of a fire knife, just like her!" His voice was icy, but his anger was as ferocious as flames!
The flaming longsword might seem unremarkable at first glance, but everyone around Zhou Ye couldn't help but step back. The intense heat of the blade even scorched the wild grass on the ground, making people shocked at how Zhou Ye could control such a violent flame.

"Article 3 of the Twelve Jade Laws states that anyone who murders a court official shall be punished for treason. Treason is one of the ten heinous crimes, and is unforgivable," Shang Yue said calmly. "Article 11 of the Twelve Jade Laws states that anyone who witnesses one of the ten heinous crimes and fails to execute him shall be permanently demoted to the ninth rank and never be employed again. Anyone who harbors one of the ten heinous crimes shall also be punished as one of the ten heinous crimes!"

“As one of the highest-ranking and strongest individuals in the camp, I cannot shirk my responsibility. Moreover, given how things have developed, I cannot escape blame.” He coughed, took an unassuming water bottle from his waist, and poured water on the grass. “I, Shang Yue, will definitely capture and kill Jiang Shi to plead guilty to the imperial court!”

Jie Zilong removed his outer robe, revealing a breastplate and steel arm guards underneath. He glanced at Jie Yuanshao not far away and slowly shook his head.

“Jiang Shi, I thought you were a talented person, but I didn’t expect you to be such a complete idiot who can’t understand human language.” Jie Zilong said calmly, “Liang Kingdom is vast and can accommodate geniuses, talented people, and even mediocre people, but there is no place for idiots. I can see that you still think you are right, and even think you have the right to speak so arrogantly, and that is what makes you so stupid that it’s laughable. My only consolation is that you haven’t joined the Jie family yet, otherwise you would have brought disaster to the Jie family.”

"Jie Zilong, the spear instructor of the Jiangbei Garrison, is willing to capture and kill Jiang Shi to plead guilty before the imperial court!"

Chen Linchuan sneered, and with a flick of his finger, a giant sword appeared out of thin air in his hand: "Lu Xiaoqi was assassinated in public, and I, Chen, cannot shirk my responsibility. I am willing to capture and kill Jiang Shi to plead guilty to the court!"

Of the five great families in the camp, only Qun Yushu hadn't spoken yet. Noticing everyone's gazes, Qun Yushu shrugged helplessly: "I'm only at the second stage of cultivation. Even if I don't make a move, you can't blame me... Alright, Qun Yushu, like everyone else, is willing to capture and kill Jiang Shi to plead guilty to the imperial court!"

It’s over.

Jiang Shi is completely finished.

Shang Xinlei felt her left arm being tightly held. Turning her head, she saw Qian Gongyu's face, a mess of tears and snot. The latter was speechless, only able to shake Shang Xinlei's arm like a little tiger, her eyes pleading. "There's no other way," Shang Xinlei shook her head. "There really is no other way. She killed Lu Wangji in public, which is tantamount to going against the imperial court."

"To be an enemy of the court is to be an enemy of the Liang Kingdom, the royal family, and the aristocratic families. When the Great Ancestor of the Great Liang Dynasty set out the Twelve Jade Laws, no one dared to violate them. Do you know why? Because the Great Ancestor of the Great Liang Dynasty was a sixth-rank messenger who swept across the era, and the Shao family of the Liang Kingdom has had foundation-building members sitting in the palace for generations. That's why our seven great families swore to abide by the Twelve Jade Laws to the death. The laws of the strong are the fate of the weak."

"There is no place for Jiang Shi in Liang Kingdom anymore."

Qian Gongyu trembled, and for some unknown reason, she suddenly rubbed her eyes hard, wiped away her tears, and stood up. But at that moment, Jie Yuanshao suddenly grabbed her neck and threw her to the ground, covering her mouth with his arm before Qian Gongyu could react.

"Quickly tie her up," Jie Yuanshao ordered.

After Shang Xinlei tied Qian Gongyu up tightly, Jie Yuanshao finally pulled her arm out. Looking down, she saw that her arm had been bitten several deep bloody holes. She gasped, "Your teeth are quite good after you transformed."

"Let me go!" Qian Gongyu writhed on the ground like a caterpillar, crying out, "Why are you tying me up!"

"To prevent you from doing anything foolish," Jie Yuanshao said. "This is... the only thing we can do to help Jiang Shi."

"Xiaoyu, even if you don't think about yourself, you should think about the Qian family." Shang Xinlei asked in a deep voice, "Do you want to drag the Qian family down to hell with you?"

Qian Gongyu's sobs gradually subsided, and just when everyone thought she had finally calmed down, she suddenly began to struggle violently again, even trying to transform once more! Jie Yuanshao and Shang Xinlei had to work together to suppress her and barely managed to prevent her from breaking free!

"Qian Gongyu, have you gone mad?! Do you only feel happy when you destroy the Qian family?! You'll die!"

"I'm not crazy!" Qian Gongyu sniffed hard, her voice hoarse. "Of course I don't want to drag the Qian family down with me. I dream of reviving the family. I'm also afraid of death. The thought that the Qian family might fall from grace makes me so sad that I don't know how I'll face my deceased father after I die. How could I possibly be happy..."

"But……"

"Even so, it doesn't matter!" the tiger girl shouted hoarsely, "I can't let her fight alone, even if it's just me, let me go—"

Shang Xinlei took out a handkerchief and covered Qian Gongyu's mouth to prevent her from saying anything more inappropriate. However, looking at Qian Gongyu's tear-streaked face, she suddenly felt a little envious of her. At least Qian Gongyu could express her true feelings without any restraint, but she couldn't.

While she sympathized with Jiang Shi, she also had to protect the interests of the merchants. Children of noble families are born into wealth and privilege, and naturally, they must also bear corresponding responsibilities—this was true for her eldest brother, her third brother, and even more so for her.

Jiang Shi is beyond saving. Killing Lu Wangji was just a surprise attack, but now four third-stage cultivators are attacking together, and they are all messengers from aristocratic families. They have no shortage of tokens and spirit jade. No one below the Foundation Establishment stage in the entire Liang Kingdom can stop them, not to mention the more than thirty soldiers armed with divine crossbows.

If there really is someone in this world who can help Jiang Shi, it's probably only... A figure flashed through Shang Xinlei's mind, and she chuckled to herself, thinking that such a scumbag would never put himself in danger.

"what!"

Suddenly, a scream pierced the camp. They turned to look and their pupils constricted as if they were seeing something unbelievable.

(End of this chapter)