Chapter 274: The Old Ghost Twin Killers

Chapter 274: The Old Ghost and the Twin Evil Spirits

In the central region of the Wa people’s domain, Inuyama City, outskirts.

A thick-soled soap boot of pristine leather slammed down on North San'ei’s nape, grinding his head into the mire.

*Crack.*

North San'ei distinctly heard the dislocation of his cervical vertebrae. Fortunately, he had long since replaced his spine with a mechanical one; otherwise, this kick would have left him bedridden for life.

He opened his mouth to shout, but the foot atop his neck pressed down harder the next second, and sludge immediately surged into his mouth, choking back the words he had mustered.

“Damn it, catching a petty thug like Bā Erlǐ requires both of us chiefs to act? When did our Inuyama Jinyiwei office sink to this level?!”

The man stomped on North San'ei’s skull, his voice rising in complaint, “Shouldn’t this ghostly weather be spent soaking in a hot spring, embracing beauties, and grasping mountain peaks to gaze at the moon?”

“The reason our office funds are so tight is because a color-obsessed fool like you became a chief! Who has time to go gallivanting with subordinates for team-building?!” The speaker, another young man, had fair skin, thin lips stained crimson, and a snow-white braid coiled atop his head. His white uniform was of exceptional quality.

Though the sky had long ceased raining, he still held a black umbrella, as if even moonlight were unwelcome.

In contrast, the darker-skinned man sneered, “Know why I took the alias Fan Wujiu? Because I’m the wicked spirit of lust!”

“Stop spouting nonsense. Move quickly—do you forget what day it is today?”

The man beneath the umbrella had a delicate face but spoke in the northern White Mountain, Black Earth dialect of the imperial heartland.

Fan Wujiu’s expression shifted, “What day? The Wa people’s establishment celebration? No, wait—is it the White Emperor’s pleasure quarter festival?”

“It seems none of Old Ghost’s words sank in. A message came from Lai Zhou: that big brother has arrived!”

“Which big brother? What kind of carriage is so domineering?”

Fan Wujiu’s face went blank, then suddenly shuddered as if recalling something. His footing faltered, and he snapped North San'ei’s cervical bone cleanly.

Synthetic blood coursed wildly through North San'ei’s body, gushing from his mouth and nose, mixing with the sludge.

He struggled to speak, but the two men gave him no chance.

Though North San'ei had guessed their identities and accepted his fate, shouldn’t they have at least followed protocol and questioned him? Whether he spoke or not was secondary—but you ought to ask!

“Is that martial artist here today?! Why didn’t you say so earlier, Xie Bi’an?!”

“You’d do better to use your brain than your mouth. If not for delivering a gift to that big brother, would we need to deal with this Hoshinuma group’s Bā Erlǐ?”

“A gift? When did he get involved with the Hoshinuma group?”

“Didn’t you read the Jinyiwei report?”

“I can’t read.”

Xie Bi’an’s forearm veins bulged, “I’ll be damned—”

Seeing the other’s tendency to explode, Fan Wujiu quickly grinned, “Weren’t you busy tracking Honghu’s trail? You had no time for that, did you? Tell me.”

“The commander of the Mozu Army’s Ink Attack Division, Mo Ke, provoked Li Jun’s friend over a spot in the Mojì Tánng. After hitting a dead end, he had the Hoshinuma group send someone to clean it up.”

Fan Wujiu perked up, “Martial artists clashing with martial artists? How thrilling! What happened?”

“Isn’t that obvious? If Li Jun died, what gift would we be giving? We’d need condolences instead!”

Xie Bi’an grumbled, “He cut down both Hoshinuma Yuan and Mo Ke.”

“No wonder he’s the celebrated Jinyiwei who hacked from Chengdu to Chongqing, slaying the feudal lord and pursuing Honghu here!”

Fan Wujiu wore an awestruck expression, “My brother’s a beast!”

“Enough, stop looking like a lovesick fool. Old Ghost is already waiting on the platform—we need to hurry.”

Xie Bi’an barked, “Stop stomping him and get moving!”

“Alright, alright, I’m asking.”

Fan Wujiu was unusually excited, lifting North San'ei’s head from the dirt with his toes, grinning slyly, “Resist strictly, die painfully. Confess freely, die swiftly. Choose.”

Aren’t you supposed to ask? What’s there to say if you don’t?

Besides, do the Jinyiwei interrogate like this? Whether you speak or not, it’s a dead end?

North San'ei’s eyes widened in terror as he stammered, “Sir, you’ve mistaken me for someone else—I’m a law-abiding citizen!”

“Good! A true Wa man!”

Fan Wujiu suddenly roared, “Old Xie, this brat’s got a stubborn mouth—why not just kill him outright?!”

“Though Li Jun was a water-soaked monk in Shu, he’s not a native of Shu. Even if he were, is it worth this excitement over a fellow townsman? You skipped basic procedure—Old Ghost will dock your salary again!”

“You’re jealous! Do you have a townsman with legs as thick as his?”

Watching Fan Wujiu’s smug, triumphant grin, Xie Bi’an rubbed his temples, exasperated.

“Get out of here.”

Xie Bi’an approached with his umbrella, pulling out a paper file and unfurling it before North San'ei.

“North San'ei, born in Longwu Year 52, native of the Great Ming Empire’s Wa people’s Inuyama City. Leader of a small violent gang, owner of two izakayas and a pleasure quarter with services, dealing in organs, prosthetics, and contraband, engaging in lawless acts. Overall, a useless failure.”

North San'ei’s face flushed alternately blue and white, his heart a tumult of horror and rage.

Horror at their intimate knowledge of his affairs; rage at their dismissal of him as a failure.

“Seven days ago, you connected with the Hoshinuma group, distributing military equipment stolen from the imperial mainland. Clients included violent organizations, marauding warriors, and minor remnants of the Honghu resistance.”

Xie Bi’an released his grip; the white file fluttered in the cold wind, casting a shadow over North San'ei’s fearful face.

“You have two choices: confess your superiors and buyers, then die cleanly. Or be thrown into the imperial prison for centuries, enduring torment, numbness, dementia, and madness until you become a useless heap of waste.”

“Time is limited—decide quickly.”

North San'ei screamed hysterically, “If death is inevitable, why choose at all?!”

“Truly iron-willed. I can’t pry anything out—Old Hei, toss him into the prison.”

Is that iron-willed? Is the interrogation abandoned?

A bizarre thought crossed North San'ei’s mind: these Jinyiwei had never intended to question him properly from the start. It was routine—a pretext to imprison him.

Recalling a rumor he’d heard, that the Wa people’s Jinyiwei had annual quotas to fill the imperial prison with criminals. They must be using him to meet their numbers!

His psychological defenses crumbled rapidly.

Xie Bi’an sighed softly, “By the way, once we’re done, we’ll toss his whole family in too. After all, traitors deserve total annihilation.”

“I said—!”

Fear exploded in North San'ei’s heart, devouring his will entirely.

“The Ryūjin Line is approaching the station. Passengers on the platform, please mind your safety. Stand beyond the yellow line and do not cross the tracks.”

*Bang!*

A heavy-duty SUV roared onto the platform, screeching to a halt just as it nearly plunged into the crowd.

Amid the grating friction, two figures leaped out before the vehicle had fully stopped, sprinting toward a peculiar black block on the platform.

Dozens of men in black Western-style uniforms stood in three neat rows, exuding an icy chill that repelled strangers.

“Old Ghost, we’re here.” Fan Wujiu yelled hoarsely.

“Two little rabbits, taking this long to handle a trivial matter—how embarrassing. How will our new colleagues view our competence?”

The one who spoke up to reprimand was a middle-aged man, with a round face and unremarkable features. Even when he furrowed his brows and glared fiercely, he could not muster an ounce of authority.

"Especially you, Xiao Hei, how did you drive just now? How many times have I told you, people of our status must keep a low profile, do you understand the meaning of low profile?! Go back and copy the work regulations ten times! By hand!"

Seeing the middle-aged man still babbling incessantly, Xie Bi'an stepped to his left and whispered a reminder: "The train is entering the station, mind your image!"

The man finally closed his mouth with a lingering reluctance, shot Fan Wujiu another sidelong glance, and only then fell silent.

After a moment, the Yang Yi train slowed and gradually rolled into the platform.

That person stared at the shabby, dilapidated train before them, stunned for a moment, then suddenly revealed an admiring smile.

Not bad, you're the future star of the Jin Yi Wei in Chengyan City. Look at how you handled the Yang Yi train—youth truly has its vigor!

Click.

The compartment door slid open, and Li Jun's figure stepped out slowly.

"Old Li, the local Jin Yi Wei seem quite arrogant."

The Ma Wangye, wrapped in a black robe, gazed at the murderous welcome party ahead and spoke in a low voice.

"Li Jun, right? I am Gui Wang Da, the hundred-house commander of Chengyan City's Jin Yi Wei. You may call me Old Gui, or Gui Ge, or Da Ge—anything but 'sir,' please."

The middle-aged man approached, his face all smiles as he patted Li Jun on the shoulder.

"Li Jun pays respects to Gui Ge."

"Now that we're here, we're family. Come, let me introduce you to our colleagues in the household."

Gui Wang Da turned to face the crowd, raised his hand, and clapped once. "Come on, call out to him."

The Jin Yi Wei members bowed in unison, their voices crisp and synchronized: "Jun Ge!"