Plotting with You: The Forensic Scientist in Ancient Times!-Chapter 376 - 375: Distinguished Sirs

"You can only blame yourselves for your wickedness and greed," Lu Qing glanced at him, scoffing coldly, "This is what it means when they say ’self-inflicted wounds cannot be lived with.’"

"What could I have done..." The old steward struggled, making his arms painfully sore but still unable to free himself, and eventually resigned to his fate, giving up resistance, "Before the Fortress Lord left, he instructed us that other matters could be ignored, but if there were big merchants from the Capital, people who could do business with nobles, we must, at all costs, serve them well and keep them here.

If it weren’t for this warning, how would I have ever been fooled by you people from the government!"

Lu Yan was just about to speak when Lu Qing made a gesture behind him, forcing him to swallow his words.

Lu Qing scrutinized the old steward for a moment, then burst into laughter as if he’d just heard some ridiculous joke.

His laughter left the old steward bewildered, staring at him with a puzzled expression, anxiously pondering which of his words could have been wrong.

Lu Qing suddenly wiped the smile off his face, his eyes turning grim and fierce as he looked at the old steward, "You really are blind in your old age to have mistaken us for government people.

Your Immortal Castle squats here, seizing all the big merchants from the Capital for yourselves, and throughout the entire Lan Country, you don’t leave even a scrap for others, whether dry or wet.

Our good and rich days were all cut short because of your Immortal Castle.

Government people? Ha, you aren’t that lucky, to have fallen into the hands of government people."

As if to complement Lu Qing’s words, the talisman behind him cracked his knuckles, and the rune stood with arms crossed, glaring fiercely at the old steward.

He was already exceptionally robust, and now he didn’t bother to conceal his bulging arm muscles, which seemed ready to tear through the fabric of his sleeves.

The old steward felt a chill rising from the bottom of his heart, and although he was securely bound, he couldn’t help but shudder.

Could he really have misunderstood? He initially thought these people carried a certain noble aura. Calling them big merchants or government nobles seemed fitting, so he dared not neglect them. Seeing their generous manner, he treated them as esteemed guests.

When he realized these people had silently subdued the Protector in the fortress, he thought he had momentarily mistaken them for government officials and quickly calmed down after a brief panic.

Even if they were government people, they would have to follow procedures, and dealing with him would require going through the proper channels, so he wouldn’t be easily harmed.

During this time, if the Fortress Lord returned, he might even use his connections with the Capital’s nobles to resolve the trouble, and eventually, he would be rescued unharmed.

At most, he might suffer a little flesh pain during interrogation.

But what if he had indeed misjudged...?

The old steward didn’t even dare to glance at the talisman and rune again, feeling as if they were more terrifying than the Oxhead and Horseface of the underworld.

Just looking at those two, they didn’t resemble government people at all.

Judging by what these people said, it seemed like the Immortal Castle had stolen their business...

If they were on the same path as him before... there was no telling what they might do...

Whether he could survive until the Fortress Lord returned was still uncertain...

Seeing the old steward’s face alternating between red and white, with sagging eyelids and silence, Lu Yan couldn’t hold back, stepping forward and with a swishing sound drawing the sabre from his waist before the old steward.

This movement startled Lu Zhang, who almost opened his mouth to stop him.

Even the talisman and rune couldn’t help but look over at Lu Yan.

Only Lu Qing stood with arms folded, watching from the side with a calm expression, showing no sign of tension or worry, nor did he intend to interfere verbally or physically.

Lu Yan brandished his blade before the old steward’s face.

The blade gleamed with a cold light, exceptionally sharp.

On the back of the blade, the blood groove appeared darkly tainted.

"See the blood groove on my blade?" Lu Yan’s face carried a cold smile, his fingers flicking the blade, which quivered slightly, emitting a pervasive buzzing sound, like a bloodthirsty beast’s low growl, "The bloodstains in here came from at least dozens of lives piled up this thick.

Do I look like someone with an official rank? With so many lives, wouldn’t I at least be a vanguard or a junior general?"

His words had a roguish yet bloodthirsty aura, combined with the thick bloodstains in the blade’s groove, which left the old steward color-drained. If not for being tightly bound to the tree trunk, he might have collapsed on the ground.

His face was tear-streaked and snot-dripping as he pleaded, his voice trembling uncontrollably, no longer calm as when he was brought in. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

"Spare me, Masters! Spare me, Masters!" The old steward wailed in a broken voice, "Please, Masters, have mercy, spare me this wretched life!

I’m just here to manage trivial matters for the fortress, following the Fortress Lord’s orders. Everything is by his command, not mine to decide!

It’s not that I wanted to block your financial path, I was just paid to do a job, truly not my choice!

If I’ve wronged you in the past, it was truly unintentional, absolutely not intended to trouble you!

Masters, debts have heads, and grievances have owners. If you want to settle things, wait for our Fortress Lord to return, and discuss it with him properly!

I’m just following orders!

If you spare my life today, I’ll do whatever you ask of me in the future! Please, I’m begging you!"

The old steward pleaded incessantly, crying with tear-streaked face and snot, clearly terrified by Lu Yan’s blade.

Lu Yan looked at him with disgust, backing away two steps as if the person tied to the tree was a lump of smelly filth instead.

"What’s your and your Fortress Lord’s background?

How did you just suddenly appear in this Immortal Castle?

And what’s the story with the people in your fortress?" Lu Qing asked pointedly.

The old steward stammered, "I dare not hide from you, Masters! I was originally the second in command of a nearby bandit camp. By chance, I came to the Immortal Castle and became a steward!"