Chapter 146: Chapter 146: Bait
"Has Wu Haihua arrived at the South City Prison?"
Fu Yuanming asked, his body slanting slightly as he leaned lazily into a large chair.
"My lord, he has been delivered! The interrogation has already begun."
A burly man standing before Fu Yuanming replied respectfully.
"We really caught a big fish this time. Wu Haihua of the Ten Thousand Demons Sect, at Inner Qi First Level Perfection. In a head-on fight, even I would be no match for him. This operation, orchestrated by the Outer City Garrison Command, was truly something else!
With him captured alive, I doubt the Ten Thousand Demons Sect can sit still."
Fu Yuanming said nonchalantly.
The man before him didn’t respond, merely keeping his back bowed in respect.
"A Grand Steward of the Ten Thousand Demons Sect has fallen into the hands of our Garrison Commandant’s Office. An opportunity like this must be seized!"
Fu Yuanming smiled faintly, slowly straightening his back.
"The Ten Thousand Demons Sect has been getting more and more aggressive around Weishui lately, making bigger and bigger moves. Just the other day, the Outer City Garrison Command even lost a Tributor from the Inner Qi Realm!"
"Escorting Wu Haihua to the South City Prison with such fanfare is for interrogation, yes, but it’s also to test the Ten Thousand Demons Sect’s reaction. With their Grand Steward in our hands, will they just watch quietly, or will they do something? It really makes one terribly curious!"
"Regardless of what happens next, this is a major credit to our South Town Garrison Command! Once this is all over, the reward from our superiors will be substantial!"
"..."
The more Fu Yuanming spoke, the wider the smile on his face grew.
An interesting thought occurred to him. With Wu Haihua imprisoned in South City Prison, it would be fine if the Ten Thousand Demons Sect did nothing. But if they did make a move, Chen Ping’an, as the South City Prison Chief, would undoubtedly be in the eye of the storm.
This was a struggle between the Outer City Garrison Command and a branch of the Ten Thousand Demons Sect. Even a Martial Arts Master of the Inner Qi Realm could lose their life with the slightest misstep.
And as for Chen Ping’an... a mere Qi Blood Sixth Layer who hadn’t even stepped into the Inner Qi Realm. ’Caught in the center of such a vortex, his chances of survival are slim to none.’
’Good luck to him!’
The smile on Fu Yuanming’s face grew even brighter.
...
After Wu Haihua was brought to the South City Prison, personnel from various agencies came in droves to investigate and interrogate him, all hoping to pry secret intelligence about the Ten Thousand Demons Sect from his lips.
However, Wu Haihua was extremely tight-lipped. For several days straight, they failed to extract any useful information from him.
None of this, however, had anything to do with Chen Ping’an. As the South City Prison Chief, he only had to do his job. His duty was to guard Wu Haihua and ensure nothing went wrong.
Over the past few days, various signs led Chen Ping’an to believe that there was more to this imprisonment than met the eye.
As a Martial Arts Master at the Second Stage of the Inner Qi Realm, his senses were acute. On his daily commute, he could faintly perceive several obscure auras near the South City Prison.
These auras were so faint and distant that even a Martial Arts Master at Inner Qi First Level Perfection would find them nearly impossible to detect.
These auras, without exception, all belonged to those of the Inner Qi Realm.
The moment he discovered this, Chen Ping’an connected a lot of dots.
’Are these hidden agents from the Garrison Commandant’s Office, lying in ambush?’
Moreover, judging by their Martial Arts Realms, this was likely not something the South Town Garrison Command could arrange on its own. It was obvious that the Outer City Garrison Command was involved.
Only the Outer City Garrison Command could dispatch so many Inner Qi Masters at once.
’So Wu Haihua is the bait, meant to lure the Ten Thousand Demons Sect onto the hook?’
Chen Ping’an speculated.
If the Ten Thousand Demons Sect didn’t make a move, then it would be fine. But if they did, he, as the South City Prison Chief, would undoubtedly be in the eye of the storm.
Though his power had grown substantially, it was hard to say with absolute certainty that he could ensure his own safety while caught in the center of such a large-scale power struggle.
Out of caution, Chen Ping’an went to see Wu Haihua.
As a high-security prisoner, Wu Haihua was naturally held on the second basement level of the South City Prison. Surrounded by an incredibly sturdy Black Iron Fence, he sat upright inside the cell, hands and feet in shackles.
"JIE JIE JIE..."
Wu Haihua looked up, and upon seeing Chen Ping’an, he let out a cold laugh.
Wu Haihua’s hair was disheveled, his body was covered in wounds, and his eyes were bloodshot. He looked severely tormented.
Clearly, the recent days of interrogation had not been pleasant for him.
Chen Ping’an wore a smile.
"Wu Haihua, are you comfortable here in my care? If there’s anything you’re not happy with, be sure to let me know."
"Comfortable. Extremely comfortable. Kiddo, why don’t you come in and enjoy it with your gramps?"
Wu Haihua laughed wildly.
Chen Ping’an’s expression remained unchanged. "Comfortable? Good, I’m glad you’re comfortable. I was worried I wasn’t taking good care of you. If word got out, your brethren in the Ten Thousand Demons Sect might think I’m not being a gracious host."
"Oh, right, Wu Haihua, when are you planning on getting out of here?"
"Get out? I haven’t had my fill of this place yet. Your little methods are nothing compared to the Ten Thousand Demons Sect."
"Is that so? I think so too." Chen Ping’an nodded seriously. "Speaking of which, when are the people from the Ten Thousand Demons Sect coming to pick you up?"
Wu Haihua gave Chen Ping’an a sinister grin. "Little kid, don’t bother trying to bait me. You’re still wet behind the ears!"
"As expected of a Grand Steward of the Ten Thousand Demons Sect. Truly seasoned and experienced. I’m impressed, truly impressed."
Wu Haihua’s reaction only served to confirm Chen Ping’an’s suspicions.
Although Wu Haihua didn’t say it outright, even he himself believed that the Ten Thousand Demons Sect would absolutely come to rescue him!
The Ten Thousand Demons Sect was different from other factions; its members were basically all lunatics. They acted without any scruples whatsoever.
The Garrison Commandant’s Office daring to capture their Grand Steward alive was a slap in their face. Whether they came to rescue him or not, they would definitely exact the most brutal revenge.
This was the way of the Ten Thousand Demons Sect.
"Kiddo, don’t you dare die too soon. Wait for me to get out, then you can die!"
"Oh?"
A perfectly innocent smile appeared on Chen Ping’an’s face.
"You want to kill me?"
Wu Haihua sneered but said nothing.
CLICK!
Chen Ping’an took out the key, unlocked the cell door, stepped inside, and walked straight up to Wu Haihua.
RATTLE RATTLE~
The sound of chains rang out as Wu Haihua lunged like a fierce tiger, but the chains fixing him to the wall held him fast, preventing him from moving an inch.
Chen Ping’an met Wu Haihua’s gaze, his smile brilliant.
"You want to kill me? A man with a crippled Dantian?"
THUD!
Chen Ping’an kicked Wu Haihua in the stomach.
Wu Haihua grunted, his face filled with fury.
"You just wait right here for the Ten Thousand Demons Sect to come get you! I’d like to see just how they plan to take you away!"
THUD!
Chen Ping’an delivered another kick, then left under Wu Haihua’s predatory glare.
