Chapter 4: The Eerie Death

The nightlife during the Song Dynasty was already quite vibrant, featuring all-night markets. This inn is considered one of the larger establishments in Bazhou, and the lobby also operates as a night market. Therefore, even though it is already the third watch of the night, there are still quite a few guests in the lobby. Half of the seats are still occupied. However, many of the patrons appear to be somewhat intoxicated, speaking loudly.

Before long, the stable boy with a horse face returned with Leng Yi from the backyard. Leng Yi stamped his foot and said, "Oh dear, although the rain isn't heavy, it has been falling all day, and the ground is all muddy. You all should tidy up this courtyard; look at the mud on my shoes!"

Leng Yi stretched out a long, satisfying yawn, adopting an air of authority, and said to the horse-faced waiter in a sharp tone: "Bring a lantern to illuminate this county, as I am going to the restroom."

The middle-aged man furrowed his brows and said, "Why go through all this? Haven't you already experienced enough of my coercive methods? I tell you, the previous methods were just the beginning; there are many more techniques yet to be employed!" After saying this, he stood up, walked in front of Leng Yi, and raised a finger, pointing it at Leng Yi's Dan Zhong acupoint. "Last time, you pretended to be dead under my finger. Let's continue from where we left off. I will ask one last time—where is the item?"

It convulsed a few times and then became still

"What do you want me to say?" Leng Yi finally spoke, his voice trembling slightly

He placed the blade of the short knife against the middle-aged man's neck and said, "Who are you? What exactly are you looking for from me?"

Leng Yi gazed at him in silence

The middle-aged man looked at Leng Yi and, seeing that he still had no intention of speaking, sighed: "You are still quite tough, not saying anything at all, I admire you! Then I can only continue with the torture!" With a swift motion, he pointed and jabbed at Leng Yi's Dan Zhong acupoint.

He let out a cold laugh, seized the middle-aged man's hands and feet, and with a few cracking sounds, dislocated all the joints in his limbs

Almost simultaneously, his abdomen had already received a heavy punch from Leng Yi.

Leng Yi was even more terrified, stepping back until his back was against the door, with no retreat left.

A middle-aged man stepped in, casually closing the door behind him. Looking at Leng Yi, a look of astonishment mixed with relief appeared on his face as he said, "Were you pretending to be dead earlier?"

"Yes, yes!" The small servant with a horse face quickly took a lantern, holding it up to illuminate the side front, accompanying Leng Yi as he descended the stairs and walked towards the backyard

The man said: "It turns out you are a person of great depth, and I have misjudged you. Since you have me in your grasp, there is nothing more to say. However, do not expect to pry any words from my lips."

In addition, through conversation, he also inquired about some basic information regarding Bazhou and Yinling County, including the main figures in the county government, the prominent gentry and wealthy families in the county town, the county's financial revenue, and even some fundamental rules of the officialdom.

The middle-aged man in the lobby displayed a sense of confusion in his eyes, a confusion stemming from an inscrutable question. He slowly raised his head, watching the back of Leng Yi as he walked towards the rear hall, and only then did he lower his eyelids, lift his wine glass, and pour himself a drink, continuing until the entire pot of wine was consumed, at which point he called for the bill

The middle-aged man picked up the chopsticks, picked up a bean, and sent it into his mouth, crunching it loudly. His eyes were fixed on the wine glass on the table, but his peripheral vision was glancing towards the direction of the backyard

The middle-aged man suddenly let out a low and short cry, as his finger, upon pointing, seemed to have pierced through a stone slab, nearly breaking in the process

The middle-aged man, with his hands clasped behind his back, walked over to the round table and sat down. He paid no attention to Leng Yi, resembling a leopard passing by a pitiful lamb that was destined to have no escape.

The middle-aged man walked to a corner of the hall and sat down at a square table. On the table were a plate of cooked beef, a plate of beans, a wine cup, a wine glass, and a pair of chopsticks

Leng Yi looked at him, yet remained silent

The middle-aged man he encountered while going downstairs to the restroom was the very person who had rushed into the house first when he was crying uncontrollably, looking at him with a gaze of astonishment and disbelief. Later, he learned that this man was not one of his own, so how could he have shown such a look? Thus, he became vigilant. After the other party entered, he pretended to be afraid, which disarmed him, and then he successfully subdued him by using a bulletproof vest for protection.

Leng Yi crouched down and began to search the body. He found several scattered silver coins and a short knife. There was nothing that could be used for identification.

The innkeeper's assistant smiled and said, "Yes, yes, what the esteemed guest says is correct. I will speak to the manager tomorrow and ensure everything is properly arranged"

Ascending to the second floor, the middle-aged man walked along the long corridor, passing by several rooms without stopping, until he reached the door of Leng Yi, where he paused and glanced back, finding no one behind him. Turning around, he approached the door and gently knocked.

Footsteps were heard from inside, and then the door opened

The middle-aged man said: "Alright, since you are not dead, that is wonderful. Let us continue. I believe you have already experienced my methods; it truly is worse than death, isn't it? Although you are quite resilient and refuse to speak, I am confident that you will change your mind, right?"

After settling the bill, the middle-aged man slowly ascended the stairs, as he originally resided here as well

The strength of the middle-aged man's finger was quite astonishing, yet it could not harm him, for he was wearing a special steel plate bulletproof vest beneath his official robe. At the time of the incident, he was engaged in a hostage rescue mission, and since the opposing party was armed, the criminal police executing the rescue mission were also wearing bulletproof vests.

As he just reached the back door, a middle-aged man approached him, head lowered, walking towards Leng Yi. Leng Yi quickly stepped aside and said to him, "Sir, it is dark here, please be careful."

Through casual conversation, Leng Yi learned that the official he was impersonating, the county magistrate of this impoverished area, was quite poor and had no money to leverage connections. After achieving success in the imperial examination, he was assigned to this remote and desolate place to serve as an official. Having brought his wife to Yinling County, he had only been in office for three to four months. This made Leng Yi feel more at ease; being in office for such a short time indicated that many circumstances were still unfamiliar to him, making it easier for Leng Yi to maintain his disguise. He also learned that the magistrate's wife had the surname Zhuo, but he did not find out her first name, likely because the clerk did not know either. This further reassured Leng Yi, as the clerk, surnamed Dong, had been recommended by the previous magistrate to serve as his assistant. He was responsible for finances and legal matters and was quite familiar with local conditions. They had been in the capital city of Bazhou for three days, having arrived in a county office carriage, accompanied only by a coachman. The innkeeper's name was Jia.

Leng Yi snorted through his nostrils, mimicking the demeanor of an official from the films. He shook his robe sleeves and walked in measured steps, pausing with each footfall, until he reached the staircase. Only then did he lift the hem of his robe and ascend the stairs with steady grace

The middle-aged man stopped, slowly raised his head, glanced at him, then lowered his head again and walked past him.

Leng Yi stood at the door, looking at the middle-aged man, revealing a look of fear: "It’s you!"

It was not until the third watch that Master Dong and Manager Jia were both drunk, snoring with their heads on the table. Only then did Leng Yi instruct the innkeeper to help them out.

The previously sullen waiter had also changed to a smiling face, bringing hot water for Leng Yi to wash up. He also brewed a pot of hot tea for them to sober up.

The middle-aged man could hardly believe that the county magistrate, who had previously tormented him like a dead dog, could deliver such a heavy punch with such speed. He didn't even have time to gather his energy for defense before being struck in the stomach, instantly collapsing to the ground in pain, curling up his body and beginning to vomit. The cooked beef and stir-fried beans he had just eaten, which had not yet been digested, were expelled.

The middle-aged man looked at Leng Yi and slowly said: "It seems you are also a clever person. Since you managed to feign death and deceive me, you should hurry and escape. Why are you still here? Oh, you thought you had successfully deceived me, believing that I would think you were truly dead, and that you could leave this place without returning, making it safer for you to stay here, right? Little did you know, I did not leave. I originally intended to stay in this cold winter, just to spend a night at this inn and leave tomorrow. It seems my decision to stay was indeed the right one; this is what they call 'man proposes, but heaven disposes.' Hehe"

Leng Yi's favorite sport, apart from free fighting, is rock climbing. He eagerly participated in this extreme sport when it was just emerging in China, and he became one of the top performers. This not only trained his agile skills but also endowed his hands with remarkable strength, allowing him to easily crush hard walnuts and pierce through thick wooden boards. Thus, this punch caused the middle-aged man to convulse and vomit on the spot. This not only trained his agile skills but also endowed his hands with remarkable strength, allowing him to easily crush hard walnuts and pierce through thick wooden boards. Thus, this punch caused the middle-aged man to convulse and vomit on the spot

Leng Yi was taken aback, prying open his mouth, only to find a dark liquid swirling inside. There was a pungent odor. Upon checking the pulse and pupils, it was confirmed that he was already dead. It seemed that this person had held a highly toxic pill in his mouth and had bitten it to commit suicide at a critical moment