Li Qingxian and Songg Baige’s squad finished regrouping and followed the main force forward, with Han Anbo, Yur Ping, and Zheng Gaojue guarding them from behind.
Passing by Tongyu Hall, Li Qingxian saw many people in stocks and shackles, standing by a dilapidated wall, trembling uncontrollably.
Under the night sky, the prisoners were split into two groups. One group was standing.
The other group was squatting in a corner a few dozen feet away, their bodies wrapped in straw and rags, their faces covered. A Yellow Talisman floated in mid-air, emitting a faint, clear light that enveloped them, isolating them from the outside world.
Songg Baige and Li Qingxian looked over, both knowing these were prisoners of the Ministry of Justice. However, their crimes weren’t severe enough to be judged by the Autumn Review Department, nor had they been convicted by the Divine Capital Prefecture. Unable to be sent to the Celestial Prison, they could only be held temporarily in places like Tongyu Hall before being transferred elsewhere.
Songg Baige glanced at the prisoners and said, "I’ve heard that ninety percent of the people detained by the Ministry of Justice, aside from those officially sentenced, are framed by Demon Sect People for silver or to cultivate their Demonic Skills. Take the people in Tongyu Hall, for example. In the end, they either hand over their silver to save their lives or are simply left here to waste away and die. As for those other people..."
Everyone looked toward the people in the corner. Songg Baige opened his mouth, but ultimately clenched his jaw and said nothing.
"People afflicted with Demon Poison?"
Li Qingxian spoke as he carefully observed the people in the corner. Though they tried to wrap themselves up completely, some of their skin and flesh was still visible.
All of their exposed skin was covered in pustules of various colors. Some were swollen lumps, some oozed pus, some trickled blood, some had insects crawling on them, and some had black mist writhing over them.
Their eyes held no human light. They were either as dull as the earth at night, or they had no eyes at all, or their eyes streamed with blood and pus.
Tears could no longer flow from these people’s sockets.
Li Qingxian felt as if something was caught in his throat. He wanted to say something, but just like Songg Baige, no words would come out.
"Can we help them?" Li Qingxian asked.
"We can help ordinary prisoners, but not those with Demon Poison. Setting aside whether they can even be cured, or whether it’s contagious, if we get involved, we’ll never make it out of the Ministry of Justice. In this entire world, besides the Mud Society, no one dares to take in people afflicted with Demon Poison." Songg Baige sighed deeply.
"Does no one care?"
"In this Human World, are there so few things that no one cares about?" Songg Baige retorted.
"You’re right." Li Qingxian’s eyes blended into the night.
"Huh?"
Li Qingxian looked among the standing prisoners and saw a man who was also looking back at him. The man’s gaze was calm, and he gave a slight nod.
Li Qingxian hesitated for a moment, then said, "Squad Commander, Baige, let’s go over there. I know someone."
"Alright!" Fuu Mingcheng said.
The small squad walked over, and Li Qingxian looked at Wang Buku.
"Brother Wang, we meet again."
Wang Buku nodded slightly, a wry smile on his face.
The young man who once wore the Official Uniform of the Black Lamp Department; the young man who handled matters with impartiality and didn’t bend the law for Ye Han; the young man who gifted Li Qingxian a Fate Skill notebook to plead Ye Han’s case; the young man who tried to help Ye Han only to be cursed away—now he was dressed in coarse, earth-brown clothes, weighed down by chains and a cangue, and covered in wounds.
"You didn’t ask for help?"
"I couldn’t even get a message out," Wang Buku said, shaking his head.
Li Qingxian weighed the value of the Fate Master’s notebook in his mind, then turned to Songg Baige and said, "This is Wang Buku. He was supposed to be taken to the Divine Capital Prefecture for trial. I think we should have Brother Han take him to the Divine Capital Prefecture Government Office on his way."
Songg Baige smiled. "Anything that causes trouble for the Ministry of Justice is something I’m eager to do. My father can deal with the headache anyway. Deputy Captain Han, take him. Just say Songg Baige sent you."
Fuu Mingcheng asked in a low voice, "The Young Master of the Duke Rong Mansion?"
Li Qingxian nodded.
Fuu Mingcheng’s expression filled with respect.
"He’s badly injured. Let him take my carriage. Brother Han, you take him to the Divine Capital Prefecture," Li Qingxian said.
The others helped Wang Buku remove his shackles. Wang Buku looked at Li Qingxian, his face showing a hint of shame and indignation. He cupped his fists and said, "I will surely repay this life-saving grace."
"It was nothing. Don’t worry about it," Li Qingxian said.
Wang Buku thanked him repeatedly and, led by Han Anbo, slowly walked out of the Ministry of Justice.
After seeing Wang Buku off, Li Qingxian turned to look back at Tongyu Hall.
Except for the main hall, all the other buildings and walls of Tongyu Hall had been toppled.
Li Qingxian and the others went around Tongyu Hall and entered the main courtyard of the Prison Department.
Numerous Demon Cultivators were crowded inside the great hall of the Prison Department.
Thousands of attackers from various factions advanced slowly, drawing closer and closer to the Prison Department’s great hall.
Above the main entrance of the hall hung a wide, horizontal plaque with a green background and a gold border, inscribed with the name "Prison Department" in large, black script.
From within the hall, a Demon Cultivator shouted, "I ask that you all halt or go around! This is the Prison Department! If you take down this plaque, it will no longer be a minor assault, not just taking a plaque, but a Fasi! That’s tantamount to forcing a Middle Grade expert to intervene."
The crowd drew near, finally stopping at the entrance to the Prison Department.
For a long moment, no one made a move. The clear voice that had been giving orders also remained silent.
Everything seemed to freeze.
"Since we agreed not to Fasi today, I, Zhou, cannot be the one to break the rules. However, the Ministry of Justice is unworthy of this Prison Department plaque. Let’s store it at the Patrol Bureau for a few days!"
Zhou Chunfeng’s voice reverberated through the sky. A streak of light shot out, landed on the plaque, and then carried the Prison Department’s sign away into the night.
The assault teams cheered in unison, while inside the great hall, the Demon Cultivators looked as if they had lost their parents.
They said it wasn’t a Fasi, but this was no different from one.
The commander’s voice rang out: "Today’s assault has broken two halls! Turn to the east, and assault the third hall!"
"Assault the Ministry of Justice!"
"Assault the Ministry of Justice!"
Everyone shouted as they charged into the Prison Department’s Treasury, tore down its plaque and smashed it, then broke down doors, pushed over walls, and wrecked buildings, demolishing every room except for the Treasury’s main hall.
"Today, the assault on three halls is complete!"
"Three halls complete!"
"Three halls complete!"
The crowd roared, their voices shaking the heavens.
Everyone was beaming, because according to the rules, once three halls were breached, the Ministry of Justice was required to give an explanation.
At this point, the minor assault was a great success.
The crowd stood in the night, laughing and discussing what kind of response the Ministry of Justice would give.
Fuu Mingcheng said with emotion, "It’s been a long time since a minor assault has managed to take three halls. The last time was three years ago. We won this battle!"
Songg Baige chuckled. "My first time participating in a Literature Cultivation assault, and I get to take three halls. Next time, we’ll definitely be able to Fasi. Qingxian, why aren’t you smiling?"
"Don’t you think our attack went a little too smoothly?" Li Qingxian asked.
"Er... There are four or five thousand of us, maybe even over six thousand now, with more people constantly arriving from all over. The Ministry of Justice couldn’t possibly gather so many people on such short notice. Isn’t it normal for them to give up on defending?" Songg Baige said.
"It is normal. The Ministry of Justice truly lacks the power to fight back. But the question is, will the Ministry of Justice actually give an explanation?"
"All factions agreed long ago that if three halls are breached in a row, the losing side must give an explanation!" Fuu Mingcheng said.
"And what if the Ministry of Justice can’t, or won’t, give an explanation?" Li Qingxian said slowly.
"Don’t be ridiculous. The Ministry of Justice was just tailing your family. They can just find a scapegoat, offer an apology, and be done with it. There’s no need for them to resist so stubbornly," Songg Baige said.
But Li Qingxian remained silent.
The surroundings suddenly fell quiet. Songg Baige’s eyes widened, and he lowered his voice. "Are you saying... this whole affair isn’t about you at all, but about Mr. Gangfeng? Or something even bigger?"
"If they give an explanation, then it’s probably nothing. But if they don’t... that’s what will truly be telling," Li Qingxian said.