Chapter 26
“Tenth Yama King, I advise you not to resist. Illegally descending beneath the Terrace of Forgetfulness is a serious crime. If you obstruct justice, we can’t guarantee your safety.”
Several Envoys approached Xue Changyi, sneering, reaching out to grab him.
Xue Changyi held his black oil-paper umbrella, making no move, but his gaze swept over the approaching Envoys. They suddenly trembled, an invisible pressure bearing down on them, their legs shaking, unable to move.
“Go on, restrain him.”
“You go, you go…”
“Cowards!”
The Envoys shoved each other, but no one dared approach Xue Changyi.
Xue Changyi glanced at them indifferently, turning to walk away. The Envoys quickly parted, their eyes fixed on him.
Xue Changyi paused, a cold smile playing on his lips. “Aren’t we going back? Lead the way.”
Humiliated and embarrassed, the Envoys led the way, no one daring to mention restraining him again.
Underworld Central Office, First Supervisory Department prison.
Clang—
The heavy prison door slowly closed, ghostly blue sparks flickering. To prevent escapes, the prison doors were electrified, and not with ordinary electricity.
The Envoys locked Xue Changyi inside, finally relaxing. “Tenth Yama King, don’t blame us for being ruthless. You were the one who illegally descended beneath the Terrace. Just stay put.”
“Our boss is truly farsighted.”
“Yes, if it weren’t for Minister Wu’s report, we wouldn’t have caught you.”
Xue Changyi listened to their chatter, his eyes narrowing. He walked to the cell door. The Envoys, startled, quickly backed away, their eyes wary. “What… what are you doing, Tenth Yama King? This is the Supervisory Department!”
Xue Changyi’s face was calm, not at all like a prisoner. “I want to see Minister Wu.”
“See our boss?” An Envoy laughed. “As if you’re worthy!”
“Exactly! Not to be rude, but you’re a prisoner now, Tenth Yama King, accused of a serious crime. Who knows if you’ll ever walk out of here!”
“I advise you to be obedient. Want to see our boss? Let’s see if our boss wants to see you!”
The Envoys laughed, walking away.
Suddenly, their laughter stopped, replaced by apprehensive voices. “Director General!”
Was Wu Mu back? Xue Changyi peered down the dimly lit prison corridor, but he didn’t sense the familiar warmth of Wu Mu’s presence.
Wu Mu was the Golden Crow, the sun. Even from a distance, Xue Changyi could sense his presence, especially after their intimate encounter last night.
“Former Director General!” The Envoys corrected themselves.
It wasn’t Wu Mu, but his adoptive father—the former Director General of the Supervisory Department!
A figure in a black cloak slowly appeared in the corridor, walking slowly, the hood pulled low, concealing their face.
Thump! Thump! Thump—
The sound of a cane striking the ground, a rhythmic beat, steadily approaching.
The hand gripping the cane was wrinkled like bark, the only visible skin. The cloak and cane were his trademarks, recognized by every Envoy in the Department.
Thump! Thump! Thump—
The cloaked figure stopped in front of Xue Changyi’s cell, their eyes meeting through the bars and the flickering electricity.
Or rather, Xue Changyi’s eyes met the darkness of the hood, as he couldn’t see the figure’s face.
The former Director General let out a raspy chuckle, like a wheezing accordion or a buzzing chainsaw, an unsettling sound that grated on the nerves.
“Tenth Yama King, long time no see.”
Xue Changyi looked at him calmly. “Former Director General.”
“I didn’t expect,” the former Director General’s voice was rough, his laughter even more so, like grinding sand, “to see you here, Tenth Yama King. All thanks to my good son.”
Xue Changyi’s eyes flickered.
The former Director General continued, smiling, “Perhaps you’ve heard, it was my son who reported you, for illegally descending beneath the Terrace. A serious crime, you might even lose your position as Yama King!”
Xue Changyi remained calm, even chuckling softly. “I was about to retire anyway.”
“Heh—heh—” The former Director General said, “Interesting, interesting. Other Yama Kings never think of retiring, but the Tenth Yama King prefers peace and quiet.”
His tone changed abruptly. “If you prefer peace and quiet, you shouldn’t have gone beneath the Terrace!”
Xue Changyi smiled, sensing something important. “Oh? From your tone, Former Director General, it seems there’s a secret beneath the Terrace, a secret that can’t see the light of day, a secret that has you worried.”
The former Director General’s laughter stopped. “Sometimes, I really hate how clever you are.”
Xue Changyi said, “Thank you for the compliment. It would be hypocritical of me to feign modesty.”
The former Director General’s smile vanished completely. He said coldly, “Xue Changyi, I know Wu Mu likes you.”
Xue Changyi’s lips tightened, but he didn’t speak.
The former Director General continued, “You two… have slept together, haven’t you?”
Xue Changyi’s eyes narrowed, but he still remained silent.
“Don’t look at me like that, and don’t be surprised. I know everything about Wu Mu’s actions, and yours.”
Xue Changyi raised an eyebrow. “Oh? Wu Mu is your adopted son, it’s understandable that you know his every move. But me? Although the Supervisory Department and the Yama Courts are at odds, you’re a retired minister. Your excessive interest in my actions might make others think you have a crush on me.”
The former Director General’s breath hitched, momentarily speechless.
“I didn’t realize the Tenth Yama King was so skilled with words.”
Xue Changyi said, “I don’t usually resort to sarcasm, but when necessary, I won’t hold back.”
The former Director General sneered again. “Xue Changyi, do you really think Wu Mu likes you? You have a history together. He’s just mistaking gratitude for affection. He doesn’t understand emotions, doesn’t understand what it means to like someone.”
“To him,” the former Director General raised his cane, pointing the tip at Xue Changyi, “you’re just a plaything, a momentary novelty.”
“You’ve slept together, played your games, and his interest will naturally fade. Otherwise…”
The former Director General chuckled. “He wouldn’t have reported you, would he?”
He continued, unfazed by the silence, “Wu Mu reported you, he betrayed you, and as his father, I’m very pleased. It shows that in his heart, he still prioritizes his work, the Supervisory Department. And you… are just discarded goods, a plaything he’s grown tired of!”
“Why aren’t you saying anything?” the former Director General said. “Feeling down? One moment Wu Mu had you on a pedestal, the next he betrayed you. Feeling lost? If you want to cry, I won’t laugh.”
Xue Changyi said calmly, “I’m starting to doubt that Wu Mu was the one who betrayed me.”
“What do you mean?” the former Director General asked.
Xue Changyi said, “Because you’ve emphasized it too many times, as if you’re deliberately trying to convince me.”
Although he couldn’t see the former Director General’s eyes, it was clear he had averted his gaze.
The former Director General scoffed. “The Tenth Yama King truly doesn’t learn his lesson until it’s too late. Fine, stay here and think things over.”
Thump! Thump! Thump—
The former Director General, shrouded in his black cloak, his hunched figure supported by his cane, slowly walked away.
The prison was quiet again, and Xue Changyi was lost in thought.
“Get out of my way!!”
“You dare stop me? Do you want to die?!”
“Move, or I’ll kill you all!”
An explosive shout shattered the silence, a hurricane of energy sweeping through the prison, followed by the screams of Envoys.
“Seventh Yama King! You… you can’t go in there!”
“Don’t make things difficult for us!”
“This is where we hold dangerous criminals! You can’t go in!”
“Old Seven?” Xue Changyi’s eyes flickered.
“Move, or my whip won’t show mercy!”
It was Dong Lan!
He wielded a long, shimmering white whip, supple yet strong, covered in barbs, like a living tentacle.
The Envoys backed away, trying to block him, but not daring to truly stop him. Dong Lan forced his way through.
“Little Ten!!” Dong Lan rushed over, almost touching the electrified bars.
“Don’t move!” Xue Changyi stopped him. “You’ll get hurt.”
Dong Lan said anxiously, “Little Ten, I heard something happened to you and rushed over! Those bastards from the Supervisory Department, how dare they lock you up! Come on, I’ll get you out of here!”
A Supervisory Envoy’s voice trembled. “Seventh Yama King, even though you… you’re a Yama King, you can’t just barge into the Supervisory Department prison! If word of this gets out… you’ll be punished too!”
“Punished?” Dong Lan sneered. “Really? Then I have to ask, you say Little Ten illegally descended beneath the Terrace of Forgetfulness? Wasn’t that a dereliction of duty on the Terrace’s part? If they hadn’t been negligent, how could Little Ten have gotten through?”
Xue Changyi: “…”
His argument, like a protective parent defending their troublesome child, was surprisingly irrefutable.
Dong Lan continued, “I haven’t even filed a complaint against the Terrace of Forgetfulness, and you dare arrest my Little Ten! Is this how the Supervisory Department abuses its power? And, my Little Ten is a minister! Even if he needs to be detained, your Minister Wu should handle it personally! Call him out here!”
The Envoys were in a dilemma. “Minister Wu… he’s not here.”
Wu Mu wasn’t at the Supervisory Department. He hadn’t been seen since they left the world beneath the Terrace. This deepened Xue Changyi’s suspicion.
Dong Lan said indignantly, “Your minister isn’t here? Then you have no right to arrest anyone!”
“Come on,” Dong Lan grabbed Xue Changyi’s hand. “Big brother will take you away.”
“My lord! Seventh Yama King…” The Envoys tried to stop them, but they were no match for Dong Lan. Despite his cute and delicate appearance, he was known for his fiery temper among the Ten Yama Kings. Even the Supervisory Department didn’t dare provoke him.
Dong Lan said coldly, “When your minister returns, with a warrant, then come and arrest him! Now get out of my way!”
Just like that, Dong Lan brazenly led Xue Changyi out of the Supervisory Department prison.
“Old Seven,” Xue Changyi sighed, “You’re too reckless.”
“You’re the reckless one!” Dong Lan stamped his foot, his rabbit-ear buns trembling. “I told you not to trust those Supervisory Department people, not to trust Wu Mu! Now look, you’ve been betrayed!”
