Chapter Fourteen: Pressing for Whereabouts

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Liu Chen was unaware of what was happening inside the He family stronghold; at this moment, he only wanted to obtain Lu Qingcai's exact address. He was not truly one of the rebels, so why would he waste so much energy on a rural bastion outside Xin City?

Thus, after leaving in a dignified manner, Liu Chen stopped at a spot where He family stronghold was no longer visible, intending to interrogate Lu Qingzong.

He had originally meant to travel a bit farther, since that strongman still posed some threat to him. But after his shoulder blade was shattered, though Liu Chen could still move, his arms were powerless.

He had carried Lu Qingzong all the way here on his back. It wasn't difficult, yet lugging around a grown man left Liu Chen rather uncomfortable. So, once he judged the distance sufficient, he tossed Lu Qingzong aside carelessly and stood alone to adjust himself.

Thrown down like that, Lu Qingzong grimaced in agony but dared not utter a sound, afraid of disturbing Liu Chen, who stood with eyes closed, regulating his breath. Glancing around and seeing only desolation, panic flickered across his face, making him look no different from those women and children he'd once oppressed into the stronghold.

Lu Qingzong had never been particularly gifted; even as a captive, his cultivation had exhausted all his energy and resources, and as for martial arts, he had barely enough to stretch his limbs—certainly not enough to defend himself. Now, with the five grand talismans he had arduously cultivated from childhood destroyed by Liu Chen, he was little different from an ordinary person aside from his slightly sharper senses.

And so, as an ordinary man in the hands of someone as formidable as Liu Chen—who could stand toe-to-toe with a strongman—Lu Qingzong's thoughts mirrored those of his uncle, Lu Changcheng: he was certain he was doomed.

Still, the instinct to cling to life is strong. Though convinced of his impending death, Lu Qingzong clung to a faint hope—his only chance lay with Liu Chen.

Thus, he watched Liu Chen cautiously, trying to guess his next move and what he himself could do to seize that sliver of hope.

Suddenly, as Lu Qingzong was scrutinizing Liu Chen, he saw the man's body jolt violently, emitting a sound like gnashing teeth. Startled, Lu Qingzong quickly lowered his head, terrified that meeting Liu Chen’s gaze might offend him and snuff out his last chance at survival.

Yet with his head bowed, he could no longer sense Liu Chen's movements. It seemed as if Liu Chen was already raising the butcher's blade, ready to end his life at any moment. The tension gnawed at him; unable to endure it any longer, Lu Qingzong slowly lifted his head, stealing a glance at Liu Chen from the corner of his eye.

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At that moment, he was nearly scared out of his wits. For as soon as he looked up, he found Liu Chen regarding him with arms crossed, surveying him with the same focused interest he had seen in butchers preparing to slaughter an ox. The association drained the color from his face and set his limbs trembling uncontrollably.

To Liu Chen, this fellow was difficult to fathom.

Just now, as he stood with eyes closed, he was absorbing the earth’s heavy energy to mend his shattered shoulder blade. This was not some divine power, but merely the instinct of his zombie body.

It was called instinct because the process was beyond his conscious control, nor did it require it. The act of closing his eyes was simply Liu Chen’s way of better understanding his zombie form and the two energies it housed—one light, one heavy.

The earth’s weighty energy solidified his body, while the moon’s pure radiance strengthened his soul. As his soul grew stronger, so did his sixth sense, to the point that he could directly perceive the emotions of others.

Thus, he had been keenly aware of Lu Qingzong’s shifting emotions. But even after perceiving them, Liu Chen found himself puzzled. He had done nothing at all, so why did this man’s feelings swing so wildly from fear to calm and back again?

Given his disastrous attempt at interrogation back in Li City, Liu Chen had little faith in his ability to extract information—he was, frankly, terrible at it.

If things went as poorly as before, he doubted he’d learn anything about Lu Qingcai. Sensing Lu Qingzong’s mounting terror, Liu Chen felt no optimism about the outcome of his questioning.

Yet what Liu Chen didn’t realize was that Lu Qingzong’s fear stemmed precisely from his silence and uncertainty.

Though he did not know the exact cause of Lu Qingzong's terror, Liu Chen finally spoke. To him, Lu Qingzong was not only an enemy but an outright villain. Even if he frightened the man into unconsciousness or left him with lasting trauma, he would feel no guilt.

"Your name is Lu Qingzong, isn't it? Do you know Lu Qingcai? What is your relation to him?"

Doubtful of his own interrogation skills, Liu Chen decided there was no point in beating around the bush. If he tried to be subtle, the man would likely faint before he got to the point, so he asked directly about his target.

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To his surprise, this blunt question seemed to stabilize Lu Qingzong’s mind, which had been on the verge of collapse under the weight of fear. While this was a good thing, it left Liu Chen thinking that, unless the situation was truly desperate, he should avoid interrogating people. For even with his emotional insight, he could not keep up with his subject’s thoughts—it was hopelessly frustrating.

For Lu Qingzong, however, the shift was only natural. What he feared was being killed by Liu Chen; but once he heard Liu Chen’s question, he realized he was not the target. This realization gave him hope for survival, and his fear naturally subsided.

"Lu Qingcai? Of course I know him—he's an important figure in our Lu family."

He deliberately spoke with a note of bitterness, attempting to ease the tension between himself and Liu Chen. He could already tell Liu Chen’s interest in Lu Qingcai was rooted in enmity; nothing good could come of it.

Yet his tone was not all an act. Though both were members of the Lu family, and by family hierarchy, he was technically Lu Qingcai’s elder brother, even married couples fight—how much more so a large clan.

Within the family, Lu Qingcai—backed by a powerful father and gifted in his own right—was always considered the leading figure of his generation. Lu Qingzong, by contrast, was nothing more than a background character, someone elders could command at will.

Such a gulf in status naturally bred envy and resentment. And Lu Qingcai, proud of his abilities, often acted with a touch of arrogance, making him unpopular.

Were it not for the family rules, Lu Qingzong might have volunteered to lead Liu Chen straight to him.