Star Odyssey

Chapter 1375: A Favor

Lu Yin’s words created an uproar among the surrounding people, and they all looked at him in shock.

Even the group of wastrels who had been following behind Lu Yin were stunned. The last few days had convinced them to follow Lu Yin, but the current situation just seemed like nonsense. After all, this girl was just an ordinary person.

“Hahaha, Captain Long must be joking! You’re saying I’m a traitor? I’m just an ordinary person who doesn’t even have a cultivation base. How could I have become a traitor? How could I get any sort of information?” The girl laughed.

Lu Yin’s mouth curled into a smile. “I’m saying that’s exactly what you are.”

With that, he shouted, “Arrest her.”

No one moved. Wang Yun had spent a long time building up her reputation in the Yinshan Mountains, and not one of the wastrels following Lu Yin dared to offend Wang Yun.

The girl turned arrogant. She had her mount walk right up to Unseen Light, and she waved her hand, telling him to move. Star energy bound her and set her on the ground. Her mount was upset, and it stared at Unseen Light and slammed into him, only to be stopped and frozen in place by Unseen Light’s domain.

“Long Qi, you actually dare arrest me? I’m with Sister Yun! You know she won’t let this go! You can’t charge me with being a traitor!” The girl struggled as she shouted at Lu Yin, but he just ignored her and took her away. Everyone left behind instantly started gossiping about what they had just seen.

Thus far, Lu Yin had arrested all five traitors who had been hidden in Yinshan City. He had found out about them from Guan Yun’s memory, but the sommelier never confessed anything. Also, despite three days of interrogation, the girl insisted on her innocence. That was when Wang Yun returned.

Wang Yun arrived at the interrogation room with clenched fists. She stared at Lu Yin. She also saw Zhuo Si’s helpless face in the room, as well as Uncle Kuai. The fatty was actually hiding in a corner.

“If you don’t explain yourself to me, I’ll make you face the consequences.” Wang Yun spoke through gritted teeth. Behind her, the girl was bruised, pale, and confused.

Lu Yin shrugged and turned to look at the interrogator. “Uncle Kuai, has the sommelier confessed yet?”

Uncle Kuai nodded. “He admitted to the accusations. He even told me about his bedwetting when he was a child.”

“How long did he hold out?”

“Two and a half days.”

Lu Yin gave a sigh of relief and looked back at Wang Yun. “That sommelier is an Enlighter, and he managed to endure Uncle Kuai’s attempts for two and a half days. This woman who you’ve treated as a sister has no cultivation, and yet she’s lasted for three days without saying anything.”

Wang Yun was stunned for a moment, but then her expression changed drastically.

Zhuo Si and the fatty were both shocked.

Who was Uncle Kuai? He was one of the best interrogators in the Middle Realm. Anyone interrogated by him, even if they were accused wrongly, would admit to everything they had ever done. Even an Enlighter was not able to endure Uncle Kuai’s ministrations, so how could an ordinary girl possibly hold out?

An interrogation was not only a means of extracting a confession, but also included various methods of torture. Even if an ordinary person had a strong determination, their body would not be able to endure such strain. Despite that, this girl had lasted for three days.

The girl’s face grew even paler when she heard Lu Yin’s words, she had completely ignored this fact.

Uncle Kuai was proud that no ordinary person could endure for even the time it took to burn a stick of incense, so how could such a person last for three days?

Wang Yun was not stupid, and she needed to understand the situation, so she turned around and looked at the girl in complete disbelief.

The girl looked back at Wang Yun with glazed eyes as she panted heavily. “Yun- Sister Yun, I’m no- no traitor!”

Wang Yun clenched her fists tightly. Her chest began to heave violently as she remembered the times she had spent with this girl. Wang Yun had cared for the girl like a little sister and had shared everything. If the girl really was a traitor, then that would spell huge trouble for Wang Yun.

Even if the girl was not a traitor and she had endured for so long through her extraordinary willpower, so what? It would not mean anything if no one believed it. Everyone would instead believe Long Qi, and Wang Yun would be seen as a fool who had been used.

At this thought, killing intent flickered in Wang Yun’s eyes.

The girl saw it and began to struggle violently. “Sister Yun, don’t kill me! It’s not true! I’m not a traitor! Don’t kill me!”

Lu Yin suddenly moved to stand in front of the girl. He just looked at Wang Yun.

Everyone could see that Wang Yun was ready to kill.

Zhuo Si was lazy and did not move to stop anything. He did not care if there was one more or one less traitor, and he had no desire to argue with Wang Yun over this matter. The woman had a powerful background.

The fatty remained completely silent and only watched.

Wang Yun stared at Lu Yin through narrowed eyes.

Lu Yin looked at Wang Yun for a moment, but then stepped aside.

Wang Yun’s brows rose.

Lu Yin smiled gently. “It seems that there might never have been such a person in Yinshan City.”

Wang Yun’s eyes flashed.

The girl felt shocked. “NO! I don’t want to die! Sister Yun, don’t kill me! You have to protect me! I can help you find the other traitors! I can help you-“

Before the girl even finished speaking, Wang Yun and stabbed a finger forward and pierced the girl’s neck.

Blood leaked out, and the floor was almost instantly painted red.

The girl’s eyes grew dull, though still filled with reluctance. She had died while still being interrogated as Lu Yin had watched.

An unspeakable pain lit Wang Yun’s eyes. She took a deep breath, and then looked over at Lu Yin. “I owe you.”

She then turned and left the room.

The girl had finally admitted to being a traitor, and Lu Yin had not been wrong. However, he had allowed Wang Yun to handle the girl, which he had done to save Wang Yun some trouble and ridicule. Even if Lu Yin had triggered the entire event, Wang Yun had accepted that she owed Lu Yin a favor that she needed to repay.

Zhuo Si took a long look at Lu Yin. This person’s arrival had certainly changed the Yinshan District, for better or for worse.

The fatty quickly left the room, as the atmosphere was too heavy.

In the end, only Lu Yin, Unseen Light, and Uncle Kuai were left in the room.

Lu Yin smiled at Uncle Kuai. “Thank you, Senior.”

Uncle Kuai laughed. “Don’t worry about it. Lying is also a technique used during interrogations.”

The truth of the matter was that the sommelier had not confessed to anything. Instead, Lu Yin and Uncle Kuai had come up with a plan to trick the girl and Wang Yun, and things had turned out well. The girl had admitted to being a traitor, and Wang Yun owed Lu Yin a favor.

No one was concerned about what the girl had said about being able to point out more traitors. There were too many such spies, and Lu Yin was not short of names. However, a favor from Wang Yun was valued differently.

Wang Yun had been just about to silence the girl, and yet Zhuo Si and the others had not shown any hint of stopping her. Lu Yin was absolutely certain that her status was higher than the fatty had indicated, because even Zhuo Si was treading lightly around Wang Yun.

Four traitors had been arrested in quick succession in Yinshan City, and it shook all nine of Humility’s Gate’s bases in the Middle Realm. As for the girl, it was as though she had never even existed.

Although uncovering traitors was not considered as much of an achievement as revealing a Redback, it was still not a negligible accomplishment. Humility’s Gate was the group that arrested the greatest number of traitors, and yet they almost never managed to catch any Redbacks. This was because the Redbacks were always hidden much more carefully, and they were also more powerful. They were difficult to uncover.

Arresting four traitors in a row was enough to cause Long Qi’s name to spread to other Humility’s Gate bases. Although it was not enough to rouse the attention of the Commander, it was still quite a feat.

The confessions were given, and the evidence was compiled. Humility’s Gate was very efficient at such investigations, and three days after the girl died, Zhuo Si summoned Lu Yin and gave him four merit points. The sommelier had confessed two days before, and as Lu Yin had suggested, it was as though the girl had never existed.

“Only two months have passed since you joined Humility’s Gate, and yet already you have accomplished things worthy of merit points. You’ve received four, which is pretty good. Keep working hard,” Zhuo Si said encouragingly.

Lu Yin answered respectfully, “I owe the Gate Master a great deal for the help I received.”

Zhuo Si laughed. “You’re too slick. I didn’t have to deal with anything, but the White Dragon Clan’s main family is really treating you too well. Still, if you’re wanting to retire from Humility’s Gate, four merit points is not enough. It would be best if you could catch a Redback, as anyone who managed to pull that off receives special attention from Humility’s Gate.”

Lu Yin blinked. Apparently, Zhuo Si was assuming that Lu Yin had arrested the five people because of information he had received from the White Dragon Clan. It was best to leave the man to his misunderstanding.

“This one understands that he must continue to work hard,” Lu Yin said.

Zhuo Si nodded. “You’re getting four merit points for the arrests, and I’m giving you an extra one for what you’ve done for the Yinshan District.”

Lu Yin was grateful. “Thank you, Gate Master.”

With the extra point, Lu Yin had enough merit points to redeem a Medal of Righteousness.

Just like the Hall of Honor, Humility’s Gate had a system set up to exchange merit points. One of the possible rewards was something called the Medal of Righteousness. It had no practical use, but was more of a title and status.

Lu Yin had no need of any of the other possible rewards. He had power vessels and money, so he needed neither at the moment. Instead, he was anxious to get a Medal of Righteousness, as it would force Bai Shaohong to be more careful with Lu Yin.

“Five merit points are enough to exchange them for rewards. What would you like to get? There are no rewards here in the Yinshan District, but I can send for them from the other Humility’s Gate bases, or even straight from the supervisor,” Zhuo Si said.

Lu Yin answered without any hesitation, “A Medal of Righteousness.”

Zhuo Si’s eyes lit up. “Smart.”

He then lifted his hand, and as if he had already been ready for Lu Yin’s response, he held out a medal that had a head vaguely engraved on its face. The gate master handed the medal over to Lu Yi, who took it. “Thank you, Gate Master.”

“A Medal of Righteousness indicates that you have accomplished something for Humility’s Gate. Many people like to wear one to show off, but this is like an amulet that can save your life. As long as you have this, people can’t touch you through normal means. Also, above the Medal of Righteousness, there is also the Medal of the Tree. If you get one of those, you can request to meet with the Middle Realm’s supervisor, and will also gain the attention of Humility’s Gate. Anyone who dies with such a medal will have their death investigated by Humility’s Gate, so continue to work hard,” Zhuo Si reminded.

Lu Yin had already known that the Medal of the Tree was essentially the same as gaining eleven Honor Points in the Fifth Mainland, as any death would be investigated. Even if a death seemed without any malice, Humility’s Gate would still conduct a thorough investigation. Unfortunately, Lu Yin would need ten of the Medals of Righteousness to redeem a Medal of the Tree.

This was one of the reasons why Lu Yin had traded for a Medal of Righteousness. Although his goal was still a ways away, it was not a hopeless goal.

***

Huaiyuan lay to the south of the Yinshan Mountains at the place where the Yinshan Mountains met the trunk of the Mother Tree.

The Bifrost was not the only path to travel between the Middle Realm and the Higher Realm, as people could also climb the Mother Tree’s trunk. This meant that Huaiyuan had a special location in the Middle Realm. Naturally, Humility’s Gate’s Huaiyuan Gate was one of the more important of the nine bases in the Middle Realm.

At this moment, the three Guan brothers were sitting in silence within Humility’s Gate’s Huaiyuan base.

There was a sudden bang as Guan Yun threw his cup to the ground. “That damn Long Qi! He took out all of the spies that we carefully trained up despite the difficulties and were all taken out in one go.”

“Shut up!” Guan Tong shouted, glaring over at Guan Yun.

Guan Yun let out a cold snort.

Guan Hai frowned. “Third Brother, I told you long ago not to say too much. What do those spies have to do with us?”

Guan Tong glared at Guan Yun before looking over at Guan Hai. “How did that Long Qi find out about them? Those people didn’t even know each other, there was no connection between them. The three of us were the only ones who knew about them, and we all found out about their arrests at the same time. This seems impossible.”