Interrogation Transcript

"Name?" "Yi Zhanghong." "Don't play games with me. Your real name!" "Zhang Xiaohong." Inside the interrogation room, a dim oil lamp flickered back and forth, casting an eerie, chilly shadow. Fang Qingyun stood with his arms crossed, sneering at the newly apprehended criminal suspect. Constable Wei fixed his eyes on Yi Zhanghong, firing off question after question, while a junior bailiff sat at a side table writing furiously, recording the interrogation. "Sex?" "Male." "Cultivation realm?" "Peak Great Perfection of late Foundation Establishment." Constable Wei gave a cold snort. "Write down 'late Foundation Establishment.' Leave off all that extra nonsense at the end. Zhang Xiaohong, be advised: if you believe our handling of this case prejudices a fair trial, you may apply for recusal—meaning someone else will take over. Do you wish to apply for recusal?" "I apply—" Constable Wei let out a long, drawn-out "Hmm?", pitching his tone upward at the end. Zhang Xiaohong hastily corrected himself. "No, no, no! I don't apply for recusal!" "Then start talking. Why were you brought in?" "Eating skewers without paying?" Fang Qingyun cut in impatiently. "Forget the interrogation. Execute him on the spot. Just report that he resisted arrest violently, refused to surrender, and swallowed poison to kill himself." That was undeniably something Fang Qingyun would actually do. Bound in chains, Yi Zhanghong blurted out in a panic, "I'll talk! I'll talk! Roughly a dozen days ago, I woke up at the base of a cliff. I must have slipped while passing along the mountain west of Yanjiang Commandery. When I came to, I spotted a cave that looked like some cultivator's dwelling. No one had visited it for a very long time. I crept inside, but apart from a book, I didn't find anything of value. "You took that book when you searched me. "Recorded inside were several obscure talismans and matching formations, such as the Reverse Lifespan Talisman and the Reverse Lifespan Formation. According to the book, the Reverse Lifespan Talisman converts lifespan into cultivation base. I happened to be stuck at a bottleneck and wanted to break through in one go to reach the Golden Core stage so I could roam free and unfettered. Besides, this method of breakthrough also increases one's lifespan. The temptation was simply too great." Fang Qingyun snapped furiously, "I consulted the Commandery Governor! Given the scale you set up, there was more than enough power to break through from Foundation Establishment to Golden Core—hell, it was plenty to break through from Golden Core all the way to Nascent Soul!" *I know it was a waste,* Yi Zhanghong thought to himself, *but it's not like I knew any other way.* Naturally, he couldn't say that aloud. Acting as if he hadn't heard Fang Qingyun's berating, Yi Zhanghong pressed on. "I am a talisman cultivator by trade, so it didn't take me long to learn the Reverse Lifespan Talisman. Setting up the Reverse Lifespan Formation isn't difficult either; you just arrange the Reverse Lifespan Talismans in the pattern of the formation. "Cultivators cannot detect the effects of the Reverse Lifespan Talisman, and on mortals it merely causes mild drowsiness, making it easily overlooked. Furthermore, once the formation is fully laid out, even that drowsy effect disappears entirely. "The only issue is that the Reverse Lifespan Formation requires far too many talismans to be posted. One person couldn't possibly finish it in a short time. By coincidence, I ran into two companions—the other two you arrested. "Oddly enough, neither of them was from Yanjiang Commandery. They just happened to appear here, and neither could clearly recall what they had come to Yanjiang Commandery to do. "We hit it off immediately, agreeing to break through Foundation Establishment together. "We were meticulous and left no traces. When you began your massive search for the Reverse Lifespan Talismans, we stopped operating. Sensing this place was growing increasingly unsafe, we decided to leave Yanjiang Commandery. Before departing, we heard there was a very famous barbecue shop here and wanted to try it out. The skewers weren't even finished grilling before you showed up." Yi Zhanghong wore a look of utter bewilderment, unable to fathom where things had gone wrong. Constable Wei, naturally, wasn't about to tell him that an enthusiastic shopkeeper had reported him. When the questioning drew to a close, Constable Wei had him sign and press his thumbprints. "Sign your name at the bottom of every page. On the final page, write: 'I have reviewed the above transcript, and it matches what I stated.' "Press your thumbprint over every signature." *** True to routine, Constable Wei arrived the next day bearing a silk banner. He was seriously contemplating whether he should just set up an official post in the barbecue shop and live here full-time. Wasn't catching criminals here vastly more efficient than patrolling all day? If this kept up, becoming Chief Constable was only a matter of time. "Shopkeeper Lu, the feng shui in your barbecue shop is truly marvelous—a blessed land producing exceptional talents!" Lu Yang offered a polite chuckle. "Whether the land is blessed comes second; having exceptional talents is what counts." "The yamen has been swamped lately," Constable Wei said. "Once things settle down, I'll submit a request to the higher-ups to see if we can award your shop an 'Outstanding Establishment' plaque." "That would be wonderful! Freshly boiled water—drink it while it's hot." Lu Yang enthusiastically poured him a cup of hot water. "Even with the culprits caught, is it still that busy?" "Ah, well, the men are caught, and we located the site he described—an abandoned cave where some wanted demonic cultivator probably hid out in the past. Once we peel down the Reverse Lifespan Talismans according to the locations they gave, that case will be considered closed. "The trouble is the Spring-Plucking Festival has arrived. Looking at the crowds this year, attendance will be twenty percent higher than last year. I asked for time off, but the Chief Constable wouldn't approve it. He told me to patrol even more during the festival." "Whenever you're tired from patrolling, feel free to stop by and rest your feet. We'll be open as usual through the Spring-Plucking Festival." After seeing Constable Wei off, Meng Jingzhou let out a long breath. "Finally done with that. Things were so tense the past few days, running around hunting for Reverse Lifespan Talismans every day. Maybe that Yi Zhanghong saw how hard we were working and threw himself into our net out of pity." Man Gu hesitated, feeling that Yi Zhanghong probably hadn't thought that at all. Lu Yang noticed Lan Ting gesturing continually with her hands and asked curiously, "What are you doing?" Without looking up, Lan Ting replied, "I'm trying to develop an automated skewer-threading formation. The bamboo skewers will thread the meat chunks on their own." Lu Yang picked up a bamboo skewer between two fingers, weighing it with a thoughtful look. Suddenly, he tossed several cubes of meat into the air, flicked his fingers with force, and flung the bamboo skewer out. Unfortunately, the skewer merely grazed the meat without impaling a single piece. Man Gu couldn't make heads or tails of what Lu Yang was doing, thinking Brother Lu was playing some brand-new game, but Meng Jingzhou's eyes lit up as the idea clicked. "Are you trying to use bamboo skewers to practice throwing hidden weapons by impaling meat?" Lu Yang smiled without answering, effectively confirming it. Before long, Meng Jingzhou joined the training session, studying how to apply precise force to skewer meat moving through midair. Man Gu said hesitantly, "This... doesn't seem like the conduct of the righteous path, does it?" Lu Yang declared with absolute solemnity, "You couldn't be more wrong. Haven't you heard the verse: *Clinging firmly to the green peaks, never letting go,* *Its roots struck deep amid broken stone below.* *Through myriad grinds and blows it stands unyielding and strong,* *Whichever way the fierce winds blow along.* "Bamboo is unyielding and persevering, pure, elegant, and unpretentious—the very mark of a modest gentleman. How could using bamboo as a weapon ever be considered a hidden weapon? "This is a weapon fit only for true gentlemen." A flash of insight hit Man Gu, giving him the distinct sensation that a clogged latrine had suddenly opened up. "So that's how it is! Count me in too!" Lan Ting remained engrossed in her formation research. Several bamboo skewers floated in midair, and with a sharp *swoosh*, they drove straight into the wall, their tails humming and vibrating violently. If the target had been a person, they would have died on the spot. "The power is a bit too high," Lan Ting muttered, scratching her head in distress. She had already tried her best to tune the power down. "Forget the automated skewering formation. Why don't I just dial the power to the maximum instead?" Watching the chaotic frenzy unfold, the two chang ghosts trembled in sheer terror.