Apocalypse: Grinding EXP through Hunting

Chapter 269: Chapter 233: Saddled with the Blame, Framing Lin Shi

Zhao Zhe was surrounded the moment he walked through the door.

Panicked, he was about to fly off the handle when a hand landed gently on his shoulder. He turned his head to see it was Vice Gang Leader Zhao and couldn’t help but shout:

"What’s going on? Old Zhao, what’s the meaning of this?"

’Is the Gang Leader’s faction cleaning house?’

Vice Gang Leader Zhao said, "Cut the crap! The Giant Rock Martial Arts Hall has mobilized everyone, and they’re here for you. All four gates of Ganshan City are sealed. They’ve dispatched four Fifth-Grade Masters, twenty-three Sixth-Grade Masters, and countless Extraordinaries."

Zhao Zhe was dumbfounded. "Y-y-you... Don’t try to scare me! How could the Giant Rock Martial Arts Hall possibly have that many masters?"

A force of that magnitude sounded like it could rival the three great families.

Shui Yun saw the two, exchanged a look with Tang Wen, and announced loudly, "There’s no need to panic. The entire Black Water Gang is here. No one will be able to falsely accuse you!"

"Well said, Third Miss!"

"The Third Miss is so magnanimous!"

"She truly has the bearing of a leader."

Stolen goods were found in Zhao Zhe’s courtyard.

His involvement was a foregone conclusion. For the Third Miss to still speak up for him at a time like this—if that wasn’t magnanimity, if that wasn’t leadership, then what was?

Zhao Zhe: ?

"No! I didn’t do anything!

I was in my carriage with my wife, eating pastries, having just returned from the Inner City.

The moment I arrived at my own door, you detained me!

Is there no law anymore? Is there no justice in this world?"

Faced with countless Sixth-Grade and Extraordinary masters, he knew there was no escape. So, he channeled his entire cultivation into a cry of innocence so loud it seemed to pierce the heavens.

"Enough! No one will be able to falsely accuse you."

The crowd parted to let Water Gang Leader, Shi Lei, and other prominent masters from various factions approach.

Only when Zhao Zhe saw this procession did he realize what he’d been told was no exaggeration.

Shui Qianjun didn’t ask the others to leave.

He had just been speaking with Shi Lei, who had revealed a core secret about the Giant Rock Martial Arts Hall.

Sensing his sincerity, Shui Qianjun said, "All non-essential personnel, step back. Zhao Zhe, come inside the room. I’m here, so don’t be afraid."

The Martial Artists and Commanders took the hint and led their people out of the courtyard.

’Non-essential personnel, right!’

That meant anyone below the rank of Extraordinary.

The representatives from the other gangs and factions were at least Extraordinary, so they didn’t need to withdraw.

A flustered Zhao Zhe and his relatively calm wife, Lin Shi, were led into their own master bedroom.

Ostensibly, Tang Wen was not yet an Extraordinary.

But that didn’t stop him from following them in to see what was happening.

Zhao Zhe composed himself and recounted everything he had done that day.

In short: he had gone to the Inner City, visited the Huang Family, met with Chief Steward Huang, and had a grand time eating and drinking.

The masters from the other factions looked at Shui Qianjun, their gazes filled with ridicule:

’Old Shui, is your Black Water Gang losing its edge?’

’Your Eldest Young Master just casually runs off to the Huang Family?’

’You really picked a "genius" to be your young master, huh!’

Shui Qianjun wouldn’t have become a Gang Leader without a thick skin. He was inwardly seething, but he didn’t let it show.

Shi Lei saw his awkwardness and chimed in, "We can find out the truth just by sending someone to the Huang Family to ask. I doubt Young Master Zhao would lie about this particular matter."

"Yes, yes! I don’t know anything!"

Zhao Zhe couldn’t be bothered with the details; he just nodded vigorously.

"You don’t know anything? Then who is that living in the secret room beneath your bedroom?" Shui Qianjun asked lightly.

Zhao Zhe, who had shown no sign of a guilty conscience throughout his explanation, broke out in a cold sweat upon hearing that question.

Zhao Zhe’s eyes shifted nervously. After a long silence, he finally said, "Well... I still don’t know. What exactly has happened at my home?"

PFFT!

Feng San Niang burst out laughing.

The faces of Shi Lei and the others were also filled with deep scorn.

Tang Wen laughed inwardly. ’This Zhao Zhe is full of petty cleverness. Even now, surrounded by several Fifth-Grade Masters, he’s still trying to gauge the severity of the situation before deciding whether to sell out the person in his cellar.’

Shui Yun sent him a voice transmission: "How did I never realize he was this stupid before?"

"Senior Sister, now’s the time to press your advantage," Tang Wen replied to her.

Shui Yun immediately sent a voice transmission to Vice Gang Leader Zhao.

The Vice Gang Leader didn’t hesitate. As if muttering to himself, his tone one of exasperated disappointment, he said, "What is this guy thinking? It’s a good thing the Black Water Gang won’t fall into his hands."

His voice was just loud enough to be heard, and the expressions on the faces of the Black Water Gang members shifted subtly.

An Elder from the Eldest Young Master’s faction, who had been about to speak up, hesitated for a long moment before letting out a heavy sigh.

’At a time like this, you have to be decisive! You have to know when to cut your losses!’

’Young Master!’

’Either go all-in and protect that Sixth-Grade Master!’

’Or give him up decisively and clear your own name! You can’t pull someone out of the water if you’re not standing safely on the shore, can you?’

’What kind of stupid question are you asking?!’

A commotion arose outside the door. It sounded as if more people had arrived.

Surrounded by the crowd, hope flared in Zhao Zhe’s eyes as he stared at the door. ’The Huang Family! It must be the Huang Family, here to back me up!’

Water Gang Leader’s expression darkened completely.

He stopped looking at Zhao Zhe altogether, turning to arrange for all the Fifth-Grade Masters to take a seat.

"Yun’Er, Xiaowen, come stand behind me." Shui Qianjun was making his stance clear.

Zhao Zhe’s heart sank. He looked at the Gang Leader, his eyes trembling with terror. He knew he had made a terrible move, but he just couldn’t bring himself to trust Shui Qianjun!

Tang Wen watched him placidly, then glanced over at the beautiful young wife, Lin Shi, who had remained silent throughout.

’Idiot. You’re about to lose everything except your life.’

’In a situation like this, it doesn’t matter what you’re really thinking. You should have bet everything on the Gang Leader protecting you!’

’That way, if the Gang Leader failed to protect you, the entire gang would have had something to say about it.’

’But now, you’ve made it obvious you’re pinning your hopes on someone else.’

’Not even the gods can save you now.’

"Everyone, the trackers from the Giant Rock Martial Arts Hall are back."

SWOOSH!

Tang Wen’s heart leaped into his throat, like a gambler right before the final card is revealed. He chanted silently, ’They didn’t catch them, they didn’t catch them, they didn’t catch them!’

’The methods of Martial Arts are many and varied.’

’If they’re caught, there are ways to distinguish truth from lies.’

’But if they’re not caught...’

’Then they’ll have to take the fall for this.’

"They caught them?" Shi Lei, who had just sat down, stood up again to ask.