Chapter 28

In the elegant room on the sixth floor of the tavern, several burly men, either sitting or standing, looked out the window with anxious eyes, waiting.

"The prison cart has moved."

Through the drizzle, a man with a mustache that curved downward at the ends, his eyes flickered, and he whispered a reminder.

"Can you see Second Brother?"

A scar-faced man stepped forward and asked.

"From this distance, how can I see?"

The mustachioed man shook his head. "Wait a bit, and we'll get news."

Not long after his words, another man knocked on the door and entered, suppressing his emotions. "Second Brother has boarded the prison cart, and out of the eighteen divine arm crossbows in Black Mountain City, nine have been spotted!"

"Only nine?"

The men in the room immediately frowned.

The divine arm crossbow is a heavy weapon in the military, specifically designed to penetrate armor, with immense power.

The mustachioed man's brows furrowed tightly as he asked, "Did you see Wang Fobao?"

"No."

The man shook his head.

"In other words, there are still nine divine arm crossbows and possibly Wang Fobao guarding the Black Mountain Prison at this moment?"

The scar-faced man's eyelids twitched. "Could they know our intentions? Otherwise, Wang Fobao would always be in charge during executions in previous years."

"Third Brother!"

A man looked at the mustachioed man. "What treasure is in that prison? Is it worth Second Brother's life?"

The others also looked at the mustachioed man.

They had been lurking in Black Mountain City for over half a year, and their plans had been in the works even earlier, but it wasn't to save Iron Dragon.

It was to break into the prison!

For a specific item in that prison.

"That thing..."

A glint of greed flashed in the mustachioed man's eyes, but he quickly suppressed it and looked at the scar-faced man.

"Fourth Brother, lead the men to the execution ground! Move quickly, make a big commotion, and draw out the remaining divine arm crossbows and Wang Fobao!"

"Leave it to me, Third Brother!"

The scar-faced man grinned ferociously and strode out the door.

"It's about time! Make them heads roll, and Wang Fobao won't be able to ignore it!"

...

...

The drizzle made Black Mountain City hazy.

The autumn rain brought a chill, and the streets were sparsely populated, with the few people hurrying along.

Yang Yu, full of worries, walked toward Wei He's house. After a few steps, he was called by someone.

"Little brother, wait, wait."

Yang Yu turned around. The man who called him was a sturdy middle-aged man, dressed in a hemp robe, with a simple and honest face.

"Who are you?"

The man took a few quick steps, removed his hat, and handed it to Yang Yu with a flattering smile.

Yang Yu didn't take the hat, and his suspicions grew.

Before he could ask, the man's face turned red, and he pulled out a white steamed bun from his chest.

He also handed over some silver coins to Yang Yu.

"Who are you?"

Yang Yu's heart skipped a beat.

It was not uncommon for executioners to receive gifts, but he never expected to see a "blood bun."

In Black Mountain City and many other places, people believed that human blood could cure tuberculosis.

A bun soaked in a prisoner's blood could cure all incurable diseases.

He never thought he would encounter such a thing.

"Little brother, please help. My mother is very ill, and there's no other way."

The sturdy man's eyes reddened.

"Human blood does not cure diseases. Consuming impure substances will harm your mother's life."

Yang Yu sighed and took out five taels of silver from his chest, pushing the bun and silver coins back to the man.

"Go buy medicine..."

"Is the silver not enough? I can borrow more..."

The man's face turned red, and he spoke urgently.

Yang Yu took a deep breath and pushed the man, making him stagger.

"Get lost!"

"Uh, ah!"

The man stood there for a moment, then fell to his knees and burst into tears.

After a turn, Yang Yu stopped, listening to the cries in the rain, feeling a mix of emotions.

The man might not believe that a blood bun could cure all diseases, but he had no other choice and had to try.

Life is cheap, but medicine is expensive.

This might seem absurd, but it is a reality.

In the year since he arrived, he had seen many similar things.

"What a damn world..."

Sighing, Yang Yu pushed open the door to Wei He's house.

He had a lot of troubles and was neither able nor capable of helping others.

He had the intention but lacked the power.

In the courtyard, an old monkey named Wangcai was screeching in the rain, facing off against a wild cat with its fur standing on end.

Under the eaves, Old Wei puffed on his pipe, lost in thought.

Seeing Yang Yu return, he pointed to the room. "Change your clothes. It's not good to get them dirty."

Yang Yu walked under the eaves and relayed the magistrate's message.

"How deep is the grudge? To use a dull knife for beheading?"

Old Wei's face darkened. "We execute the law of the court, not to vent others' anger!"

"Then, not go?"

Yang Yu pulled up a small stool and sat down. He didn't want to get involved in this mess.

"Not go?"

Old Wei's eyes widened. "What, you won't go? Do you want me to do it myself?"

Since he started taking disciples, he hadn't personally executed anyone for many years.

Yang Yu had no choice but to explain his concerns.

"Break into the execution ground?"

At this, Old Wei sneered.

"Is the execution ground in Black Mountain City so easy to break into? With the divine arm crossbows, even a thousand people would be turned into sugar-coated haws!"

"Better to be prepared for the worst."

Yang Yu was clear-headed and proposed a condition, to execute next year.

"One blood change is far from the end. Two blood changes are also not the end."

Wei He's tone shifted, and he began to talk about blood changes.

Blood changes are a long and arduous process. Without a fortune, most people can only stop after one.

"Young people have lively blood, middle-aged people reach their peak, and then their blood and qi decline. Martial arts cannot defy the laws of nature."

At this point, Wei He's tone softened but became more piercing.

"You have good potential, but without wealth, and if you lack courage, you won't amount to much in this life."

Hearing this, Yang Yu fell silent.

Old Wei's words hit home.

The second blood change is not much different from the first, but the herbs are several times more expensive. His money wouldn't last long.

There was no more to gain from Li Er.

"If you don't go, leave a hundred taels of silver, and you don't need to come back.

If you go, pick up the executioner's knife on the table. Whether one cut or two, it's up to you."

Wei He got up, took the hat from the wall, put on a raincoat, and slowly walked out the door.

"Yesterday, we were talking about the second half of 'Ying Bojie's Cave Play with Chun Jiao, and Pan Jinlian's Garden Temptation of Her Lover.' I can't resist the urge to go."

Saying this, the old man left, going to the teahouse every noon to listen to stories.

Yang Yu squatted under the eaves, looking at the drizzle, lost in thought. "The old man, he's not afraid of getting sick..."

After a while, he looked inside.

Leaving aside other things, he had to touch the executioner's knife.

"Executioner's knife..."

Walking to the table, he felt the cauldron of gluttony stir, and the pressure in his heart eased slightly.

Without hesitation, he reached out and gripped the bloody executioner's knife.

Buzz~