Chapter 20: So, This Is Actually Real?

At this very moment, a sudden urge welled up in Bai Muge's heart—a desire to give Hai Dafu a good beating.

[That Hai Dafu, truly unreliable as expected!]

[He’s already had them strung up and beaten within an inch of their lives—how am I supposed to sow discord now?]

[Isn’t he just making things harder for me on purpose?]

[Ah… so exhausting…]

Yet Bai Muge knew that there was no point in saying more now. He could only glare fiercely at Hai Dafu, then walked into the hall, asking offhandedly, “Where is Deputy Chief Xiang Wuji?”

“He’s strung up too, Young Master!” Hai Dafu replied cheerfully, entirely oblivious. “That fellow even tried to escape just now, but I caught him and gave him another good thrashing!”

At these words, Bai Muge finally breathed a slight sigh of relief.

[At least Hai Dafu treated both of them the same. He didn’t let Xiang Wuji escape—so that can count as a minor merit.]

Ignoring Hai Dafu, he strode into the Hall of Loyalty and Righteousness.

At a glance, Bai Muge saw several figures hanging upside down from the ridgepole, their bodies battered and bloodied.

Their miserable state needed no explanation. Encountering Hai Dafu was simply their misfortune.

“Let Master Liu San down. I have a few questions for him,” Bai Muge ordered as he seated himself nearby, waving a hand at Hai Dafu.

“Uh…” Hai Dafu hesitated, somewhat reluctant. “Young Master, don’t you want me to finish him off instead?”

Bai Muge glared at him once more.

[Is this man right in the head?]

Seeing this, Hai Dafu chuckled, nodded, and personally released Master Liu San.

After a moment, the battered Master Liu San finally caught sight of Bai Muge’s face.

As their eyes met, Master Liu San’s body suddenly stiffened. He looked in terror at the unconscious Chen Rushuang behind him, and at Feng Qi, Chen Rushuang’s maid.

“Shuang’er! Feng Qi!”

Master Liu San cried out hoarsely. Chen Rushuang, still unconscious, gave no reply, but Feng Qi called out weakly, “Chief, are you all right?”

“I’m fine…” Master Liu San managed a strained smile. It needed no guessing—Bai Muge had taken Chen Rushuang as leverage to force him to transform the Azure Dragon Society into the Heavenly Dragon Society.

After all, Hai Dafu had already mentioned this just now.

Now, seeing both Chen Rushuang and Feng Qi in Bai Muge’s hands, his intentions were all too clear.

“Young Master Bai!” After a moment’s consideration, Master Liu San sighed. “They say Young Master Bai is both learned and skilled in arms, a rare hero in this world.

Could it be that you too would use Rushuang as a tool of coercion, forcing me to join the Heavenly Dragon Society? Is such a thing befitting a hero?”

Upon hearing this, Bai Muge could not help but smile faintly.

Earlier, he had not known Chen Rushuang’s true identity, but now, seeing Master Liu San’s expression, he immediately understood.

This girl called Rushuang must have deep ties to Master Liu San.

[As expected, bringing her along served a purpose after all!]

“Master Liu San, you are mistaken.”

Returning to himself, Bai Muge replied with a gentle smile, “The reason I captured her was not to force you to join our Heavenly Dragon Society, but because she previously tried to assassinate me.”

“???” Master Liu San was taken aback. He hurriedly asked, “Because Rushuang…tried to assassinate you?”

“Exactly so!” Bai Muge nodded with a smile.

Now it was Master Liu San’s turn to be utterly stunned.

He hesitated a long while before glancing at Xiang Wuji, still hanging not far away, and suddenly saw the truth.

“So that’s how it is…”

He sighed quietly and said, “Young Master Bai, Rushuang is young and ignorant, led astray by villains. I hope you won’t hold a grudge against a mere girl.”

“And then?” Bai Muge sipped his tea languidly.

Master Liu San sighed, “You must know, Young Master, that the Prince of Zhennan once showed great kindness to my family, so I—”

“That’s where you’re mistaken!” Bai Muge raised a hand, cutting him off, and said with a smile, “Master Liu San, you are a hero, renowned for loyalty and righteousness in the martial world. How could you be so muddle-headed?”

“Hmm?” Master Liu San was puzzled. “What do you mean, Lord Bai?”

Bai Muge only smiled, said nothing, and instead drew a dossier from his sleeve, handing it to Master Liu San. “Why don’t you take a look at this before you refuse me?”

Cao Zhengchun, nearby, promptly took the dossier and handed it to Master Liu San.

Master Liu San hesitantly accepted it, but after a glance, he was struck dumb, petrified on the spot.

“This…how can this be!!?”

The information in the dossier was simply unbelievable.

It turned out the one who had endangered his entire family was none other than the Prince of Zhennan himself!

The person who carried it out was Deputy Chief Xiang Wuji!

[So, it was all a setup?]

[The Prince of Zhennan wanted me to serve him, so he had Xiang Wuji put on an act?]

[But what exactly was the prince after?]

At this moment, Master Liu San still could not quite piece it together.

Seeing this, Bai Muge thought to himself that Master Liu San had all but taken the bait, and so he pressed on without hesitation.

“Master Liu San.”

Bai Muge called him, his tone calm as still water. “Everyone in the martial world knows you for your loyalty, righteousness, and the respect you command. That is precisely why the Prince of Zhennan laid this trap for you! But now the prince is dead, and you know the truth. I trust…you would not stubbornly continue working for a traitor, would you? With your abilities, serving the court and bringing fortune to the people—has that not always been your true calling?”

“Uh…” Bai Muge’s words struck straight to Master Liu San’s heart, leaving him dazed.

[Indeed!]

[Did I not devote myself to martial training so that one day I might serve the court and benefit the people?]

[But is this all…really true?]

Master Liu San still hesitated.

Bai Muge did not interrupt.

After a moment’s silence, Master Liu San suddenly spoke. “Young Master Bai, may I question Xiang Wuji? I want to confirm the truth of these matters.”

“By all means.”

Bai Muge nodded openly, giving Cao Zhengchun a meaningful glance.

Cao Zhengchun immediately understood.

[The young master is bluffing without any preparation!]

[Still, this approach carries some risk…]

Though Cao Zhengchun knew well it was likely a sham, he dutifully advanced toward Xiang Wuji.

Just then, before Cao Zhengchun could do anything, the nearly lifeless Xiang Wuji suddenly burst out laughing.

“Hahahaha!”

“Liu Laosan, you only realize it now? Isn’t it a bit late?”

“That’s right, your joining the Azure Dragon Society, your rise to chief, your service to the prince—it was all at my lord’s command!”

“But do you think, now that you’ve pledged to the court, that this dog official Bai Muge will dare use you?”

“Hahahaha…”

As Xiang Wuji’s laughter and confession filled the hall, Bai Muge, Cao Zhengchun, and Liu Laosan all stood dumbfounded.

[So…it was true all along?]