Cheng Susu was angry, her voice extremely low: "Are you a block of wood? Quickly put away the combat knife and the laser gun. If anything unexpected happens, you can use those two to escape the cell."

This reminder made me finally notice that Cheng Susu had another layer of clothing beneath her outer garment; tucked into the sides of that inner layer were a combat knife and a laser gun. It turned out those were the things to be retrieved, not what my sordid thoughts had led me to believe.

Fearing the jailer might suspect something, I slowly shuffled over and reached for the combat knife and laser gun at Cheng Susu’s waist. Inadvertently, my touch brushed her slender waist, causing a sudden flutter in my heart. It had been so long since I felt this rapid heartbeat. Previously, Cheng Susu was always the one throwing herself into my arms, but now there seemed to be an invisible barrier between us. This contact, which was hardly intimate, stirred my emotions profoundly.

A blush also spread across Cheng Susu’s face. Seeing that I had retrieved the combat knife and laser gun, she turned her back to the jailer and quickly unfastened her button. "That dog of a Secretary is too vile. If it weren't for him, you would have been released long ago. Now, he has secured an order from the Prefectural Judicial Division Chief to take full charge of investigating this case. You are due in court tomorrow, and I fear that dog might act against you. Be clever. Whatever crime they pin on you, if you cannot refute it, just concede. You must not suffer a loss in the immediate confrontation. Whether they sentence you to death or transfer you to the Flying Eagle Prefecture, as long as you leave this heavily guarded prison, we will find a way to save you."

What I had asked Head Constable Sun to ask Cheng Susu for was precisely to help me smuggle the weapons in. I never expected that she had already thought everything through for me in advance. I concealed the items in my chest. "With the laser gun, I could blast a hole and escape tonight. Don't worry about me. Just try to go out less often. You are too beautiful and too mature. This place is not like Earth; some wicked people have no scruples. If something untoward happens to you, it will be a disaster."

Cheng Susu ignored my concern and instead said anxiously, "You cannot escape unless it is absolutely unavoidable!"

I asked, confused, "Why?"

Cheng Susu countered, "Do you still want to find the other seven people?"

"Of course I do," I replied. "The reason I would escape is to find the others."

Cheng Susu continued, "If that is the case, escaping is the last resort we should consider. Once you flee, the entire Dual City Nation will issue a nationwide warrant. How will you be able to search for the others then? Therefore, escaping is only a secondary option. Magistrate An is currently trying to find a way to clear your name. Although I don't particularly like that couple, they have been kind to me and take great care of me in daily life. As long as there is a sliver of hope, I will urge Magistrate An to do his utmost to help you. We cannot resort to breaking you out of jail until the very last moment, as that would be extremely detrimental to finding the other seven later."

I considered this for a moment. "You are right. I will decide after seeing the situation tomorrow. Surely that dog of a Secretary won't execute me right there in court just to establish his authority."

Cheng Susu said, "You don't need to worry too much. I have already contacted Ling Long and Da Li Wan. If the situation takes a turn for the worse, we will rescue you and leave. As for other matters, we will have to discuss them later."

... I had assumed the Dog Secretary was just a nickname; I never thought he actually referred to himself using the word 'dog.' Seeing his pretentious, dog-like demeanor, I genuinely wanted to throw him into the slaughterhouse and eat him as dog meat. However, times have changed, and I no longer possess my superpowers. For now, I will just maneuver around him for the time being.

The Dog Secretary indeed wielded immense power. Today, he was presiding over the trial from Magistrate An’s seat. In truth, he had never held Magistrate An in high regard. If he hadn't disliked the official bureaucracy, he might have already achieved a higher rank than Magistrate An. This was also why Magistrate An was wary of him. The Dog Secretary himself wasn't the terrifying part; it was the supporters behind him. Offending that person could ruin one's entire career. Even though the victim was his adopted daughter, Magistrate An could only endure.

Everything was ready. Smack! The Dog Secretary slammed the gavel. "The one below, is it Prisoner Zhao Qian! Do you plead guilty?"

It seemed no one had staged a rebellion here for several hundred years, as the treatment of prisoners was not like in the ancient days of the Great Dragon Kingdom—no stocks or handcuffs. If it weren't for that, I wouldn't have been able to conceal the combat knife and laser gun so conveniently. I stealthily touched them for reassurance, cast a glance at the condescending old man puffing himself up with borrowed authority, and said, "This humble citizen does not know what crime he has committed. I wonder what crime the esteemed Secretary intends to charge me with."

"Insolence!" The Dog Secretary slammed the gavel again. "You have killed three people, making you the number one major felon in the Dual City Nation this year! I have emerged from retirement this time, not to disappoint the expectations of the Prefectural Judicial Division. This shows the gravity with which the state regards this case. Yet you dare to flout the court! It seems I must inflict some severity to curb your arrogance before proceeding with the trial."

I quickly said, "Don't, Secretary Dog. Whatever you say goes. Please don't bring out the blades and clubs. Many common folk are watching outside; it would reflect poorly on the yamen."

The Dog Secretary stroked his chin. "You are quite considerate of my reputation. We are neighbors after all. I don't wish for others to misunderstand how cruel I am. Hurry up and confess your crimes, and I will submit the charge to the Judicial Division, and then we will be done."

"Crimes? Secretary Dog, you are quite old. If it were someone sixteen or seventeen who didn't know better, or was just impetuous, I wouldn't say anything. But you, an old fellow past your prime, why are you meddling? Those three damned Holy Lords were accosting respectable women on the street. I truly couldn't stand it and intervened to teach them a lesson. Is that also a crime?"

The Dog Secretary was taken aback by my sudden words; his beard bristled with anger. "You! You! You're interrogating me now? The law of the Dual City Nation stipulates that murder requires repayment with life, regardless of the reason. Even if they were in the wrong, the Judicial Division should issue an order for a trial, not for you to execute private vengeance! Don't you understand this basic principle?"

I genuinely didn't understand it, so I honestly replied, "Reporting to Secretary Dog, this humble man truly does not understand. However, after listening to your lesson, I will understand in the future. If, hypothetically, I saw Secretary Dog's wife or daughter being accosted on the street, this humble man would definitely stand by and applaud to encourage the perpetrators, daring never again to intervene and make a mistake."

The Dog Secretary almost spat blood. He held sway in Feiyu County and had never been so humiliated! "Guards! Take this prisoner who slandered this official and beat him soundly! Beat him until he submits!"

I protested, "Secretary Dog, where did I go wrong again? I've submitted, haven't I? Tell me what you want me to do, and I'll do it. You can't use your official position to bully us common folk like this! How is anyone supposed to live?"

The crowd outside the hall burst into laughter. Every one of them deeply resented the Dog Secretary. Hearing someone suggest his wife or daughter was being accosted in the street was immensely satisfying. Someone took the opportunity to shout from the back, "Bullying people by flaunting official power is wrong! Secretary Dog, if you aren't capable of judging the case, then step aside! Feiyu County does not want vicious dogs, nor does it want useless people!"

The Dog Secretary was so furious he nearly vomited blood. He had originally intended to start with a harsh reprimand to intimidate the prisoner and force a confession, but he unexpectedly found himself on the defensive. "Silence! All of you, be silent! Those who roar in the court will each receive a heavy beating of twenty strokes!"

Head Constable Sun naturally wouldn't obey the Dog Secretary. He went to the main entrance, circled outside, and returned, "Reporting to the Secretary, the agitators have fled, and this humble officer could not catch them."

The Dog Secretary was in no mood to deal with that now. He waved his hand dismissively. "Head Constable Sun, this official is here under the direct order of the Prefectural Judicial Division Chief to try this case personally. You must maintain order in the courtroom, or I will hold you responsible."

Magistrate An, sitting nearby, pursed his lips. This Dog Secretary was merely a secretary; a secretary held no actual official rank. Yet he dared call himself 'this official'? He knew nothing. If it weren't for his fear of the power behind the Secretary, he would have kicked him out long ago.

"Prisoner Zhao Qian, you killed three people—the Three Holy Lords—at the city gate. The evidence is conclusive. Do you plead guilty?"

"This humble citizen pleads not guilty!"

The Dog Secretary flew into a rage. "You just admitted to stepping in to discipline them! Are you trying to go back on your word now?"

"This humble citizen would not dare go back on his word, but disciplining them is different from murder, Secretary Dog. Please see the distinction clearly."

The Dog Secretary roared, "You struck one on the temple, causing instant death! You kicked another in the groin, causing instant death! Moreover, the back of a third man's head was smashed until flesh and blood were a bloody mess, resulting in instant death! What else do you have to say?"

"This humble citizen certainly has something to say! Their deaths have nothing to do with me. I merely saw the three of them harassing Magistrate An's goddaughter, so I went up to argue with them briefly. These three must have had a wire cross in their brains, and to fight over who got to go first or last, they started fighting fiercely among themselves. This humble citizen has been physically weak since childhood and cannot bear to watch others fight, so I pulled Miss Feixian far away to hide. The rain was falling heavily at the time, and this humble citizen did not see clearly how the three of them ended up killing each other. I ask Secretary Dog to judge impartially."

"Nonsense!" The Dog Secretary slammed the gavel again, this time a bit harder, making his hand tingle. "You clearly killed them and now dare to quibble! Head Constable Sun, you were present at the scene. Tell this official the true situation so this poor soul can rest in peace."

Head Constable Sun stepped forward and bowed. "As per Your Excellency's command, when we arrived, myself, Ah San, Ah Si, Ah Mao, and Ah Gou were on duty at the yamen. Miss's personal maid, Chun Tian, suddenly rushed over crying for help, saying that three fellows calling themselves the Three Holy Lords were harassing Miss Feixian. So, we hurried to the scene with ropes. Fortunately, heaven protected our young lady, and she was unharmed. Because a homicide occurred, we brought back the only male present, Zhao Qian, to the yamen for questioning. Later, you took charge of the yamen, and we know nothing of what happened afterward."

The Dog Secretary tapped the desk. "I asked you about the process of the homicide! Why are you telling me useless things!"

Head Constable Sun looked genuinely bewildered. "Homicide? Who is the murderer? When we arrived, the three of them were already entangled in a heap. We don't know how they died. However, judging by the wounds on their bodies, the person who did it must have been extremely powerful. Perhaps the big fellow killed the other two in a fit of rage to have Miss Feixian all to himself. Who would have thought that the other two, not being completely dead, took advantage when the big fellow wasn't paying attention and smashed the back of his head with a rock? Thus, all three perished together."

Smash! The Dog Secretary swept everything off his desk, scaring Head Constable Sun into jumping aside to dodge. The Dog Secretary roared with fury, "Get out! Get out of my sight! You are utterly useless!"

Head Constable Sun winked at me and stepped aside without saying more. I never expected that a few haphazard words could anger the Dog Secretary to this extent. Moreover, the case seemed to be turning in my favor. Truly, it seemed a path appeared when the cart reached the mountain's edge. Why hadn't I thought of dealing with the Dog Secretary this way earlier? Was it his dog-like appearance that disgusted me so much that I suddenly came up with ideas that left him helpless?

Strike while the iron is hot. I continued, "Secretary Dog, please look clearly. I am a simple, honest citizen from Hulu Village. While making a living in Feiyu County, I unexpectedly stumbled upon this matter. Never did I expect that doing a good deed would result in my unjust imprisonment for four or five days. I must seek compensation from the authorities for these losses. I request Your Excellency, who holds the order from the Prefectural Judicial Division Chief, to ensure justice for this humble man."

"Bah!" The Dog Secretary's face turned green with rage. "You're playing the good guy now? You killed three of my good brothers and made me lose face! How can I let you go... Ahem, you killed three law-abiding citizens! Such a major case has already been filed with the Prefectural Judicial Division and is being prepared for report to the Imperial Court. If you do not confess immediately, and if it is verified, your entire family will be executed. By then, don't blame me for being ruthless!"

If he could investigate all the way to Earth, it would be a miracle. But with his capabilities, he might not even keep his corpse intact if he came to Earth. I retorted, "Secretary Dog, you repeatedly accuse this humble man falsely. If you present evidence, I will plead guilty. But without evidence, no matter how I argue, I will be in the right. The current Emperor is supremely wise. If you try to deceive His Majesty with a false accusation, I fear the one whose whole family will be executed in the end will be you!"

"Fine, you want witnesses, I will find you witnesses! You won't shed tears until you see the coffin. I'll make sure you die understanding everything!" the Dog Secretary said, breathing heavily.

I bowed. "If Your Excellency has nothing else, this humble man wishes to return home. Having been fed by the county yamen for so many days, I thank you in advance."

The Dog Secretary snorted coldly. "Want to leave? Once you entered this door, don't even think about leaving! If I allow you to run wild, where is my reputation? If I don't put you to death today, I will eat dog food and drink dog urine from now on!"

I said, "Secretary Dog, the oath you swore is truly vicious. I yield to you. I won't leave. Shall I return to the cell to count the sparrows?"

... Having nothing more to say, the second day saw the court convene again. The Dog Secretary looked smug, seemingly holding all the cards. "Guards! First, bring Prisoner Zhao Qian out and administer forty strokes of the cane to establish authority."

I stepped forward. "Wait a moment, Secretary Dog. Let's get to the main business. I have no authority to establish. Whatever you ask, I will answer."

"Hmph! Audacious! This official commands forty strokes to establish authority! I do not permit you to negotiate!"

It seemed this old fellow had thought things over carefully last night. He was trying to intimidate me right from the start. Head Constable Sun forced me to the ground and whispered, "Brother Zhao, just bear with it. This 'authority-establishing caning' has existed since ancient times. Even if you are innocent, you have to take the beating first."

My hand touched the laser gun. If I escaped now, I feared I would inevitably injure Head Constable Sun. Although this fellow always had a red face and seemed fierce, he had actually been quite polite to me. Forget it, I'll endure it for now. If the Dog Secretary cannot find evidence, the matter will conclude. If he acts shamelessly again, I will kill him and escape.

Head Constable Sun shouted, "Start!" Two yamen runners stepped forward to carry out the punishment, striking my rear end with full force, one stroke after another. I had seen this scenario countless times in novels or historical dramas and expected to be flayed alive today. It had been a long time since I experienced physical pain; following the misfortunes of the Twin Stars, it seemed even drinking cold water would make me choke.

"One, two, three..." Head Constable Sun called out methodically, while the two runners seemed to put their lives into the strikes raining down on my backside.

Huh? Why didn't it hurt? I looked up at Head Constable Sun in confusion. Head Constable Sun gave a cunning smile, winked, and then resumed shouting sternly, "Seven, eight, nine..."

"Ah! Ah! It's killing me!" No matter what, I had to save face. Otherwise, it would be troublesome if the Dog Secretary realized Head Constable Sun was cheating.

"Stop hitting! Stop! I killed them! Anything you have, direct it at me!" A charming female voice rang out from the back hall, followed by Cheng Susu rushing out to stand in front of me.

Alas, why did this woman appear now? Who would believe a frail woman claiming to have committed murder? The Dog Secretary's face bloomed like an opening apple upon seeing Cheng Susu. "Miss Feixian, although he has shown kindness to you, the nation has its laws, and the family has its rules. Please stand aside, or even your adoptive father cannot save you."

Cheng Susu remained in front of me. "I killed them. Direct whatever you have at me."

"Joking!" The Dog Secretary snapped open his folding fan, seemingly trying to display his charm to the beautiful lady. "How could a mere woman like you kill three fierce men? If you remain unwise and do not leave, I will charge you with disturbing the court and subject you to corporal punishment."

Magistrate An rushed forward anxiously to pull Cheng Susu, "Feixian, what are you doing? Aren't you making things difficult for your adoptive father? Go back quickly! What kind of girl exposes herself in public?"

Cheng Susu pulled free of Magistrate An's hand. "Adoptive Father, those three deserved to die. No matter how they died, they deserved death. Quickly release Zhao Qian. He is a good man. National law and family rules cannot punish a good man who acted courageously to uphold justice, can they? If things are like this, who will dare to step forward to draw their sword and help if bad people commit crimes in the future?"

"This matter..." Magistrate An glanced at the Dog Secretary.

The Dog Secretary said triumphantly, "Magistrate An's word does not count in this matter. I carry the mandate of the Judicial Division. Anyone who obstructs the investigation will be arrested without exception."

Cheng Susu pointed at the Dog Secretary. "Good! You say Zhao Qian is guilty, do you have evidence? If you have no evidence, then release him immediately!" Cheng Susu had already heard from Chun Tian about yesterday's interrogation, which is why she said this.

The Dog Secretary slapped his folding fan shut again. "Evidence? Of course, I have evidence! Guards! Summon the witness to the court!"