Chapter 193: The Truth

When Lu Bai returned to the Evil Extermination Bureau, He Liangzhi came looking for him, his expression grim.

"Is there an update on the Fujiao Gang case?"

Lu Bai asked.

"Yes."

He Liangzhi said, "Let’s go to the Director’s room."

The two of them went to Mo Tang’s secret chamber.

Mo Tang was still healing. Seeing Lu Bai and the other man enter, she stopped meditating and said, "The Fujiao Gang’s human trafficking case is closed. They only arrested a few insignificant people.

The official case report says these men trafficked eighteen refugees. Because they were refugees from the Shi and Mo Countries, they won’t receive the death penalty."

Lu Bai said, "That’s completely different from the testimony Liu Liangxin gave."

He Liangzhi said, "Liu Liangxin recanted his confession at the Prefecture Government Office and provided a different testimony. What’s more, Liu Liangxin is already dead. He died in prison."

Lu Bai fell silent.

’Now there was truly no one left to verify the facts.’

’All thunder and no rain. They handled it with kid gloves.’

A trafficking case involving thousands of people was just brushed aside so lightly.

Lu Bai clicked his tongue and said, "It seems this Fujiao Gang really has some powerful backing. Even the Prefecture Government Office can’t touch them."

Mo Tang shook her head slightly. "This matter is outside the Evil Extermination Bureau’s jurisdiction, and the Fujiao Gang exploited a loophole in our dynasty’s laws. This is all we can do."

Lu Bai left the secret chamber, returned to his room, and began to cultivate the Piercing Fire Chapter.

Nearing midnight, Lu Bai put on the Mountain Demon Hat, quietly left the Evil Extermination Bureau, and headed toward the abandoned residence in the eastern part of the city.

After arriving in the vicinity, he roughly confirmed the location.

Lu Bai didn’t rush inside. Instead, he began to scout the surrounding area.

He scanned the area once but saw no signs of an ambush.

Still not letting his guard down, Lu Bai cautiously entered the abandoned residence and noticed the porter squatting in a corner inside.

The two buckets of slop were gone from the porter’s side. He leaned on his rattan pole, his body curled up, peering outside from time to time.

By now, it was past midnight.

Lu Bai did not reveal himself. He waited patiently to the side, remaining vigilant for any movement in the surroundings.

In the blink of an eye, the fourth watch arrived.

The porter seemed unable to wait any longer. With a sigh, he stood up, ready to leave.

But when he reached the doorway, he stopped, returned to his corner, and continued to wait.

Eventually, he couldn’t stay awake any longer and started to doze off.

A stray cat darted past, making a slight noise.

The porter woke with a start, his expression tense. He looked around wildly, but seeing no one, he let out a sigh of relief, which was followed by a flash of disappointment in his eyes.

The abandoned residence was quite desolate, and in the dead of night, there wasn’t another soul in sight.

The porter huddled into himself, endured for a while longer, and then started dozing again.

He woke up several times but continued to wait each time.

Once Lu Bai confirmed there was no one else nearby, he took off the Mountain Demon Hat and revealed himself.

The porter was half-asleep, caught in a series of nightmares.

Startled awake by another nightmare, he opened his eyes and saw a tall figure standing not far away—it was the esteemed Lord Lu from the Evil Extermination Bureau!

"Lord Lu, you’re here!"

The porter scrambled to his feet, but his legs were numb, and he nearly fell. He quickly used the rattan pole beside him to steady himself.

Lu Bai asked, "Why were you looking for me?"

The porter said, "I heard Lord Lu investigated the Fujiao Gang’s trafficking case. This case is far more complicated than the Government Office has let on."

"Oh?"

Lu Bai asked, "What do you know?"

The porter took a deep breath. "For the past two years, the Fujiao Gang has been luring refugees from the Shi and Mo Countries to Renyi Manor. It’s not trafficking at all—they’re sending these people to their deaths.

Once these refugees arrive at Renyi Manor, the manor hands them over to the Corpse Refining Sect of the Demon Sect. Using a Secret Technique that sacrifices living people, they refine the refugees into a unique Elixir exclusive to the Demon Sect—one that can help a True Master Golden Core break through to the Nascent Soul Realm!"

A chill went down Lu Bai’s spine.

’Human Refining Pill!’

This whole affair was too horrifying.

But many small, seemingly coincidental events suddenly connected at this moment.

’The appearance of the Corpse Refining Sect in Stone Forest Valley was for this very purpose.’

’Renyi Manor only had a few hundred people because the refugees sold to them were never actually at the manor.’

Lu Bai asked, "Who are you, and how do you know all this?"

The porter replied, "I’m one of the refugees who fled from Shi Country. I was supposed to meet a Daoist from Danxia Temple here who was going to help me, but something went wrong."

"Xue Chen?"

Lu Bai asked.

"Yes, Xue Chen."

The porter said, "Shi Country joined forces with the Corpse Refining Sect long ago. Over the years, Shi Country’s power has soared, and they’ve gained many Nascent Soul experts, all thanks to the Corpse Refining Sect’s secret help.

I fled here, hiding on one of the Fujiao Gang’s cargo ships. I was being pursued by experts from Shi Country and Cultivators from the Corpse Refining Sect when I discovered that the Fujiao Gang’s Gang Leader knew the Corpse Refining Sect Cultivators. That’s when I realized something was wrong and warned the other refugees on board.

Everyone jumped ship to escape. It was complete chaos, but thankfully, Daoist Xue Chen intervened in time and saved me."

Lu Bai’s face was grim. "Keep talking," he said.

The porter sighed. "I only know about the situation in Shi Country. I didn’t know about the collusion between the Fujiao Gang and the Corpse Refining Sect at first.

Even after narrowly escaping death, I didn’t know the full details.

Daoist Xue Chen realized there was more to the story, so he investigated in secret and finally uncovered the truth.

Behind the Fujiao Gang is actually a First-Grade Marquis of Wu Country, Marquis Jingzhong. He has taken in Martial Artists, River and Sea Robbers, and Desperados from among the refugees of the Shi and Mo Countries."

Lu Bai’s expression turned grave.

The porter continued, "Marquis Jingzhong is old, and his life is nearing its end. His Crown Prince’s Cultivation is only at the Golden Core Realm, so he cannot inherit the title of First-Grade Marquis. When the title passes to him, it will be demoted to Second-Grade Marquis.

That’s why Marquis Jingzhong’s Crown Prince colluded with the Demon Sect’s Corpse Refining Sect. He wants to use this Demon Sect Elixir to break through to the Nascent Soul Realm."

At this, the porter sighed.

"What happened then?"

Lu Bai asked.

According to the porter’s story, Xue Chen was still alive up to this point.

The porter said, "When Daoist Xue’s investigation led him this far, he knew something was wrong. After all, Marquis Jingzhong’s power was too great; he couldn’t possibly fight him alone.

But his conscience wouldn’t allow him to turn a blind eye.

So, Daoist Xue wrote a letter and sent it to the Demon Suppression Bureau, hoping to use their power to thoroughly investigate this matter."

Hearing this, Lu Bai’s heart sank.

Back then, Mo Tang and her two companions had merely discovered the matter of the Corpse Refining Sect, and they were ambushed and nearly killed just after leaving the Demon Suppression Bureau.

’By going to the Demon Suppression Bureau, Xue Chen had completely exposed himself.’

The porter said slowly, "Daoist Xue Chen went to the Demon Suppression Bureau. After that, I never saw him again. Later, I heard he’d had an ’accident’.

Daoist Xue Chen and I didn’t dare to contact each other normally. We would always find a chance to meet at Wangjiang Tower."

Hearing this, Lu Bai had a sudden realization.

’When Xue Chen mentioned Wangjiang Tower before he died, he didn’t mean there was a secret hidden in the tower itself.’

’He meant that there was someone at Wangjiang Tower who was waiting for him.’

The porter suddenly dropped to his knees. He held out the rattan pole with both hands and said, "I have heard of Lord Lu’s deeds. Please, My Lord, seek justice for Daoist Xue Chen and for the refugees of the Shi and Mo Countries who have been wrongfully killed!"