Chapter 77: The Appearance of Suspect Constable Zhang

Faced with Erhu’s request, Luo Gan was momentarily stunned, then broke into a relaxed smile.

Luo Gan reassured Erhu, “We’ve made it through so many ordeals—this is nothing.”

Erhu, who never cared much for grand philosophies, frowned like an angry child and said, “My wife always says that many hands make light work, and three fools can outwit a pig. I think she’s got a point.”

The talk of wives and fools was very much Erhu’s style. Though he loudly called his own wife a fool, he listened to her words with surprising obedience. Soft-hearted and easily swayed, perhaps Erhu was, in truth, one of the rare reliable companions in this tedious game.

A line of text flashed across Luo Gan’s vision: Please evacuate immediately.

A red light appeared, blinking dazzlingly, warning Luo Gan that time was running out and urging him to act quickly and decisively.

“Erhu, once you’re outside, friends of mine will be waiting for you. You’ll escape safely. I’ll meet up with Doctor Du and join you soon! Go, now! If you don’t, none of us will make it out!”

Li Buer and the man in the gray armor were locked in combat, unable to part. Both their clothes were stained crimson, resembling berserkers who refused to yield, determined to fight until one fell.

“Prepare to die!” Gray Armor roared, stomping fiercely into the muddy ground, his aura fierce and unyielding.

Li Buer, on the other hand, was beginning to tire; his grip on the knife trembled, but even a fool knew that losing his weapon meant losing his life.

A flash of cold steel grazed Li Buer’s face. In a split second, Li Buer instinctively kicked Gray Armor in the stomach, causing him to lose balance and miss his strike.

The short, yellow-clad man saw the tide turning and had already fled in panic, vanishing from sight. Only three remained around Li Buer.

By contrast, Gray Armor still had six men standing. Though each bore wounds, they were capable of fighting.

In desperation, Li Buer demanded, “Hand over Luo Gan! Spare yourselves!”

Gray Armor sneered, his face twisted with anger and contempt. “You stubborn fool! Watch me and my brothers cut you down today!”

“Avenging your brothers? Ridiculous!” Li Buer had never believed he could lose; even in this moment of crisis, he felt sure his valor would overcome Gray Armor.

“I’ll ask you once! Where is the Great Treasure?”

Li Buer paused, realizing the matter was not simple. The enemy had come prepared and, like himself, sought the treasure. In this critical moment, he could not let them succeed.

“The treasure? You think you’re worthy?” Li Buer felt provoked and readied himself to defend once more.

The two clashed again, while Luo Gan and Erhu had already vanished without a trace.

Erhu followed Xiao Zhi, Uncle De, and Farmer Jia, ducking into a nearby alley.

Xiao Zhi’s stamina was lacking; after a few steps, he was gasping for breath. Uncle De, though supposedly lame, ran astonishingly fast when fleeing for his life, leading the group.

Farmer Jia couldn’t help but tease, “Uncle De, your legs are plenty nimble! When it comes to trouble, you’re quicker than you let on!”

Uncle De wondered how the group could remain so calm in the face of danger.

“Who wouldn’t run when things go wrong? Staying put—what does that make you?”

Farmer Jia replied, “A scarecrow!”

Xiao Zhi added, “An idiot!”

He had planned to scold them, but in this critical moment, everyone was unexpectedly of one mind.

Uncle De felt gratified, tapping the foreheads of Farmer Jia and Xiao Zhi and saying earnestly, “Adaptability is a great wisdom.”

The four jogged along, muddy and disheveled, their clothes splattered.

They hadn’t found Doctor Du. Instead, several county constables burst out from the alley, startling them.

The constables brandished their knives menacingly. Xiao Zhi, nervous, collapsed to the ground, lips trembling, too afraid to speak.

One constable grabbed Xiao Zhi and demanded, “Where are Chief Li and the others?”

Erhu instinctively pulled the constable away to protect Xiao Zhi. The constable glared, his knife twitching dangerously. Erhu realized his action might bring disaster.

Experienced Uncle De dropped to his knees, kowtowing fervently despite the cold ground.

“Sirs, we’re just here for the market. We witnessed bloodshed and have been fleeing ever since!”

Mention of bloodshed piqued the constables’ interest. Zhang Jifeng rushed up from behind, startled to see the Bamboo Grove Society facing off against the constables. He immediately considered how to respond.

“Chief Zhang, these people tried to run! We find them suspicious,” the lead constable said, intent on a thorough investigation.

Zhang Jifeng thought to himself, Luckily not everyone in the yamen knows Erhu and the others. Otherwise, after all the trouble getting them out, I’d have to drag them back in—how would I explain that to Luo Gan?

Chief Zhang pretended to scrutinize the group. Xiao Zhi’s face was drenched in sweat; Farmer Jia and Uncle De knelt, not daring to lift their heads. Erhu stood upright, unlike the others—when people are jailed, there’s always a traitor. Zhang Jifeng himself was one of the suspects!

“I see nothing but civilians. The priority is to reinforce Chief Li!” Zhang Jifeng’s words brought relief to the group.

One constable, disappointed, asked Uncle De, still kneeling, “Hey, old man, didn’t you say there was bloodshed? Where?”

Uncle De panicked. If the constables took them back to Sima’s manor, they’d be recaptured—what then? Uncle De realized his excuse was far from prudent.

Farmer Jia hastily replied, “No, sirs! We just heard shouting from a house, sounded like slaughtering pigs—maybe it really was pigs!”

Uncle De nodded vigorously, “Yes, yes, eerie and gloomy—probably just a wife scolding her husband! Who doesn’t have a wife at home?”

The constable’s gaze shifted to Xiao Zhi. Uncle De nudged him, hinting he should speak.

“I—I…” Xiao Zhi stammered, anxiety making the constables suspicious.

Uncle De interjected, “My third son stutters, not great with words. Please forgive him, sirs!” and knelt again. Xiao Zhi, catching on, kowtowed twice.

The constable pressed, “Where is it? Speak up!”

Xiao Zhi, Uncle De, and Farmer Jia exchanged glances, then instinctively pointed in three different directions. The constable glared, and the three, frightened, again indicated three separate routes.

Erhu was unimpressed; groveling only aroused suspicion, and kowtowing was something he’d never do.

“Head north—there!” Erhu pointed decisively. “Say, aren’t you on duty? If you waste time here, your food’ll go cold!”

Zhang Jifeng quickly signaled the other constables, urging them to hurry. Erhu watched Zhang Jifeng’s retreating figure, lost in thought.