Chapter 44

Listen, listen, the door.

It opened.

A person.

Hasn't left.

If Wu Fan could just brazenly follow and, in front of dozens of people, capture an important figure from their side, interrogate them, and then leave with a flourish, the Maitreya Sect wouldn't need to continue existing; they might as well join the Taoist and Buddhist sects that guide people to goodness, sit in meditation, and chant scriptures to save all beings. Precisely because the Maitreya Sect, whether in its former or split state, is not a group of good people, Wu Fan couldn't just walk away. He was cornered by these people at the gate of "Lin's Horse Ranch."

"What's going on? Are they really drawing knives over there!"

"Let's go check it out, come on!"

Wu Fan glanced at the crowd gathering on the East Market Street, eager for a spectacle, and, leaning on his fourteen-form saber case, said with a smile to the people surrounding him, "We are of the same root, why are you so eager to harm each other! We are all in this together!"

"Go to hell with your 'harm each other'!" A tall man with a long bow stepped forward, his eyes wide as copper bells, and shouted, "If it were really as you say, you wouldn't have tried to kill Mr. Xu!"

Wu Fan scratched his ear and said, "If you want to kill me, of course I have to defend myself! That's called self-defense! Besides, it was clearly you who shot him with your bow, so why blame me? Is there no justice in this world?" Wu Fan grew more agitated as he spoke, his face showing anger, and he exclaimed, "Is there no law in this land?"

The Maitreya Sect members: "...", do we need to talk about the law?

Taking advantage of the Maitreya Sect members' shock, Wu Fan shouted to the onlookers, "Fellow citizens! Please judge for yourselves! 'Lin's Horse Ranch' took my silver but didn't give me the goods! Not only did they not give me the goods, but they also tried to kill me to cover it up! Look at them, all ready to kill! Is this how business is done? This is outright robbery! Too much! There is no law! They are trying to rebel!"

The Maitreya Sect members: "...", what silver? What goods? Do we have them?

Of course not, it was all made up by Wu Fan to gain the sympathy of the uninformed crowd.

Wu Fan was a master of lies, and his sorrowful expression won him the support of many who saw him as a "victim"—

"Kid! Hold on! I'll call the Imperial Guard! They'll deal with these black-hearted scoundrels!"

"Young man! Don't be afraid! Our 'Little Horse Gallop Trading Company' fully supports you in your struggle against these unscrupulous merchants!"

"..."

Hearing the buzzing of the crowd, Wu Fan spread his hands at the man across from him and said smugly, "The Imperial Guard will be here in a blink. Try to touch me and see what happens?" He smiled and lowered his voice, "Either let me go, or we die together! I'm like this, if you don't let me live, I'll make sure you all die! Do you believe me? Huh?"

Wu Fan's face was smiling, but his words were utterly mad, making the man's murderous intent fade. He licked his dry lips and had to carefully consider Wu Fan's proposal. On the surface, they were employees of a trading company, but in reality, they were members of the Maitreya Sect. In the Great Sui Empire, the Maitreya Sect was almost synonymous with rebels. If caught... even just suspected, they would be eradicated, treated even more harshly than spies from the Yan Kingdom. If they let Wu Fan go now, at least they could cover it up, saying it was a martial arts competition gone wrong. According to the empire's laws, it would result in two years of labor service or three years of exile to the northwest border. They could find someone with a tight mouth to take the blame.

After weighing the pros and cons, the man coldly said, "Consider yourself lucky! Don't let me see you again! Smiling tiger! Devious scoundrel!"

Wu Fan bared his teeth in a grin, picked up his lute case, and slipped into the crowd like an eel, disappearing in the blink of an eye.

The Imperial Guard arrived quickly, and the leader, who had no shortage of experience dealing with various disputes in the East Market, was very efficient. Soon, he left, satisfied, with a silver ticket and a scapegoat...

As the crowd's enthusiasm waned and the spectacle ended, they gradually dispersed.

What about Wu Fan?

He naturally didn't leave!

Taking advantage of the chaos, Wu Fan casually took a piece of clothing that someone had shed. In the scorching heat of July, there were always a few people who shed their clothes for coolness. He changed out of his expensive brocade and removed his hairpin, transforming into a rough, disheveled martial artist.

Wu Fan had a simple reason for staying: since he couldn't find Yu Xiang, staying was the best choice. After all, the people at "Lin's Horse Ranch" were the only Maitreya Sect members he knew. He didn't believe that after losing an important figure and causing such a commotion, the Maitreya Sect members at "Lin's Horse Ranch" wouldn't discuss or report it. In other words, if he waited patiently and followed them secretly... well, there would certainly be greater gains!

Hiding in the alleys, Wu Fan's eyes were fixed on "Lin's Horse Ranch" like a patient, predatory fox waiting for its prey!

Time was long, and he couldn't just wait idly. Wu Fan thoroughly analyzed and sorted out all the events.

First.

Wu Fan reaffirmed his purpose: to find out the location and all the members of the Maitreya Sect so that Lord Luo could capture them all. It was all the Maitreya Sect members, not just a single person, and certainly not just the Maitreya Sect members who called themselves the Mahayana Sect. It was all, every single Maitreya Sect member, and even those with ties to the Maitreya Sect, who needed to be identified!

Second.

Wu Fan re-evaluated the Maitreya Sect, firmly believing that it had already split into more than just two factions! This belief was based on solid evidence. One key piece of evidence was the ambush on Whitehead Mountain over ten days ago, and another was the killing of the fat man surnamed Xu today. Not everyone was as obsessed with killing their superiors as he was; it was to prevent the leak of information. Various signs supported this. Additionally, Wu Fan considered other factors, such as the Maitreya Sect's initial doctrine of "youth preservation and longevity," which he deduced meant that the Maitreya Sect's infiltration of Luoyang was earlier and at a higher level. After all, poor families who can't even afford food wouldn't care about youth preservation and longevity, right?

Finally.

Wu Fan considered his current situation, and the conclusion was simple: dangerous! Extremely dangerous! If there were indeed high-ranking officials in Luoyang who had been involved with the Maitreya Sect for a long time and sought youth preservation and longevity, they would have seen the empire's actions against the Maitreya Sect. Anyone with a connection would be killed. To protect themselves, they would eliminate anyone who tried to uncover their identities. In other words, Wu Fan was now a thorn in the side of the Maitreya Sect, the Mahayana Sect, certain officials, and possibly some hired martial artists. No matter how convincing his act, someone would try to silence him for safety.

After much contemplation, the sky grew dark, and Wu Fan's patient wait paid off.

The man who had confronted Wu Fan during the day changed his clothes and put on a hat, which only made him more noticeable. He looked around, lowered the brim of his hat, and mixed into the crowd.

Wu Fan, without taking his eyes off him, followed, carrying his fourteen-form saber case wrapped in brocade...

...

PS1: Please favorite and recommend!

PS2: After reading the reviews, I feel disheartened. Are you really that impatient? Don't all things need to take their time?

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