That wretched vixen has disguised herself as my wife!

Jiang Jingming smiled casually.

Aqing walked at the front, tucking her long, loose hair behind her head and tying it into a high ponytail with a blue ribbon.

She was also unarmed, but she didn't need weapons; she herself was the sharpest knife.

In the dark dungeon, two jailers guarding the cell door were whispering to each other:

"Have you heard? The Chief Secretary was assassinated last night!"

"I only heard about this when I was handing over my shift this morning. This world is really strange. Someone dares to touch the Chief Secretary... Can you share half of that pancake you're hiding in your clothes? I'm hungry."

The jailer chuckled slyly, but the person next to him remained silent for a long time.

"Hey! Don't be so stingy!"

He turned around and saw only a pair of indifferent black eyes.

Then a sharp pain shot through my neck, my vision went black, and I lost consciousness.

Aqing grabbed his collar just in time to prevent him from making too much noise when he fell down.

These prison guards were all skilled fighters and wouldn't normally be so easily ambushed, but Ah Qing's movements were too fast. They had barely reacted and tried to draw their swords when they fell to the ground.

Aqing left the two of them in the corner, picked up the bell on the table, and tore off the bell's tongue.

Even if someone discovers the fallen prison guard after they have left, they will not be able to ring the alarm bell to quickly notify others.

Ah Qing always does things so meticulously, leaving no room for error.

As the group walked along the tunnel, sometimes before the people behind them could even react, Ah Qing had already silently dealt with the jailers, leaving a safe and smooth road for those behind.

Jiang Jingming picked up a knife from the fallen jailer and swung it twice.

A common type of goose feather knife has a straight blade and an upturned tip. It is made of ordinary material, but it is quite good for drawing a knife to scare people.

Seeing that he had picked them up, Xie Yunqi followed suit and picked up a handful as well. After weighing them in his hand, he curled his lip in disdain.

Jiang Jingming caught a glimpse of her expression out of the corner of his eye and smiled.

“The jailers guarding the death row rarely need to actually use their knives, so their swords are just for show and certainly can’t compare to the swords of the Imperial Guards.”

"I know."

Xie Yunqi nodded, feeling that what he said made some sense.

They're just guarding the gate; they don't need to arrest criminals like the Imperial Guards. If necessary, they can just abandon their weapons and run away.

However, according to the rules of the Divine Capital Guard, desertion in the face of battle is an absolute crime, punishable by expulsion from the sect at best, and military law at worst.

After walking around for about the time it takes to burn an incense stick, the group stopped and signaled for everyone to stop.

She leaned against the wall and listened quietly for a while, then looked at Jiang Jingming.

Jiang Jingming sensed something unusual in her eyes.

The plan has changed.

Jiang Jingming walked up to her, leaned forward slightly, and looked at the backup exit that should have been the least guarded.

When Chen Sha called him out last night, he observed that this backup exit was probably used for escape in the most emergency situations, such as when the dungeon collapsed.

But now the place is full of people, all dressed in the uniforms of the Divine Capital Guard, with long swords hanging at their waists and vigilant expressions.

Even if he and A Qing attacked together, they couldn't subdue everyone in an instant.

But having come this far, this is the only way out.

Even if it seems impossible, we should still give it a try.

As Jiang Jingming was thinking this, Xie Yunqi grabbed his wrist.

"No way."

Xie Yunqi also saw what was happening outside, frowned and shook his head.

"Did you see the quiver they're carrying? Those are cloud-piercing arrows. Once someone fires one, everyone will rush over from all directions."

Jiang Jingming followed her gaze and indeed saw a miniature quiver about the length of a finger.

He had heard of the Cloud Piercing Arrow; its sound was like the cry of an eagle, and could be heard no matter how far away you were.

"Let me go out first."

Xie Yunqi made up her mind, raised her eyes, and looked at him seriously.

Jiang Jingming raised an eyebrow.

"What do you mean?"

"I'll pretend to run away to lure everyone away, so you can take the opportunity to leave."

Xie Yunqi sounded a little nervous, but remained resolute, his curled eyelashes fluttering.

The little girl's grip on the knife was awkward, like a child who had stolen an adult's weapon.

"They won't dare to really attack me, Jingming, don't worry! There's nothing we can do about it. Once you've escaped far enough, I'll run again and find a chance to reunite with you..."

Although she made it sound so easy, everyone present knew it wasn't that simple.

Chen Sha will definitely put her in solitary confinement without any mercy and punish her for all her crimes. It will be impossible for her to escape.

They might be escorted back to the capital overnight.

The investigation into the murder of an entire family is no small matter.

"Although Uncle Chen Sha looks fierce and scary, he's actually very soft-hearted. If I apologize to him properly, everything will be fine..."

The young lady was still rambling on when Jiang Jingming looked up and exchanged a glance with Aqing.

The two were of one mind and made a decision in an instant.

At worst, we can just fight our way out from here.

Fang Zhiyi lagged behind the group, observing their dilemma. After a while, she gave a nonchalant smile.

When Jiang Jingming looked at her, she glanced at the dark end of the tunnel behind her and sighed.

"What are you looking at me for? I'm just a weak healer passing by. How could I possibly fight against so many Divine Capital Guards outside?"

"..."

Jiang Jingming had a feeling that this guy must have his own methods, but she felt it wasn't the right time for her to make a move.

why?

Did she also think that fighting her way out was the best solution?

Jiang Jingming gripped the knife hilt and took a deep breath.

Having come this far, there's no turning back.

Soon someone in the prison will discover the fallen guards along the way, and they will come after them, attacking from both sides, making the situation even worse.

In Aqing's hand was an iron ruler shaped like a short fork, with supports on both sides for blocking and capable of knocking away enemy weapons.

Compared to swords, iron rulers were the most commonly used tool by prison guards, used to strike unruly prisoners.

The reason why Aqing picked up the iron ruler instead of the knife was probably because the techniques she practiced were all for killing, and she was worried that she would not be gentle enough when she used them.

"Hey! Jingming!"

The young lady sensed the sudden surge of fighting spirit emanating from the two people in front of her, and hurriedly grabbed one of them by the hem of his clothes.

No, no, no!

Just as they were at an impasse, Jiang Jingming suddenly heard heavy footsteps behind him.

Someone emerged from the end of the dark tunnel.

Chapter Eighty-Two: The Great Way of Traveling the World!

Jiang Jingming held his breath as the man slowly stepped into the candlelight.

Lu Zhao.

He had already changed into the official uniform of the Divine Capital Guard, with a sword and a cloud-piercing quiver hanging at his waist, and a cloth bag tied behind him.

Lu Zhao frowned, his face still showing the dazed look of a hangover, along with some annoyance and disbelief.

Jiang Jingming loosened his grip on the knife hilt and quietly met his gaze.

Why did you do this?

Lu Zhao's voice was low, his eyes filled with confusion:

“Deputy Envoy Chen said he was giving me a chance to redeem myself. My task was to keep an eye on this backup exit. I didn’t know why at first, but I didn’t expect it was because he guessed that you would try to escape.”

"You traitor!"

Xie Yunqi glared at him and cursed him irritably.

Jiang Jingming calmly pressed the restless young lady back to her senses:

"Perhaps in Brother Lu Zhao's eyes, we are the traitors? After all, you are the only one who has been kept in the dark all this time."

Lu Zhao closed his eyes and took a deep breath:

"Well, now you still have a chance to explain yourself to me."

"We fled because we were going to investigate that family annihilation case. Miss Xie came with us because we both had reasons to find out the truth."

Jiang Jingming spoke in a calm tone, as if he were talking about a trivial matter.

“Vice Envoy Chen may be an incorruptible person, but he has his own selfish motives in the case of the massacre of a family. I think Brother Lu Zhao can also see this. Otherwise, given the efficiency of the Divine Capital Guard in handling cases, this case would definitely not have remained stagnant for so long.”

"Deputy Envoy Chen has sidelined Chief Secretary Wen's power, monopolizing the entire investigation process with his own hands, all in preparation for the final ultimatum from the capital, which will attribute the case to the Duyue Sect."

"Ten days later, he will use the pretext of capturing the demoness to launch a war against the Duyue Sect with the full force of the righteous alliance. Just like ten years ago, no, it will be even more brutal than ten years ago."

At this point, Jiang Jingming paused before continuing:

“At that time, life was ravaged and blood was shed. I think no one here wants to see such a world.”

"But besides the Moon Crossing Cult, who else could have committed such a bloody crime?"

Lu Zhao gritted his teeth, his hand on the scabbard trembling slightly:

"What good will it do you to escape from here? The Imperial Guards won't give you a chance to investigate the case. You'll all become wanted fugitives!"

"Going out doesn't guarantee a chance, but being locked up here means you can only wait for whatever happens."

Jiang Jingming's tone was as clear as his gaze.

“Brother Lu Zhao, I understand your difficulties, so I won’t say anything more. Just draw your sword.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Jiang Jingming slowly drew his sword from its sheath.

The inferior goose-feather saber gleamed with a bluish-gray light in his hand.

Lu Zhao lowered his head heavily, avoiding his gaze.

He felt very confused. The sword was in his hand, but he didn't have the strength to draw it. It was as if the wine from last night was still fermenting in his heart.

Everyone along the way had their own thoughts and secrets, but he was like a fool, only thinking about completing the mission and returning to the capital to report back.

It seems that he has always been a fool since childhood, never thinking about anything, and no matter how chaotic the world is, it has nothing to do with him.

All he had to do was complete tasks, rise through the ranks, enjoy the praise of others, and then use his salary to buy a large, three-courtyard house that could accommodate all his family members.

The real culprit and the war are none of my business.

After all, the war can't reach the capital, which is forever a place of extravagance and revelry.

Lu Zhao looked up. The young man in front of him was carrying a knife, but there was no murderous aura about him. He was just quietly looking at him.

This made Lu Zhao feel like a foolish villain.

The villains in the storyteller's tales, those who are kicked aside by the real heroes and betray their friends because they are obsessed with fame and fortune.

Time seemed to pass in the blink of an eye, and the burning candle wick snapped with a "snap".

Lu Zhao took a deep breath and suddenly raised his head.

He did not draw his sword, but instead took off the cloth bag that he had been carrying on his back.

The contents of the cloth bag collided with each other, producing a clear metallic clang.