Chapter 451: You Win

Chapter 451: You Win

Life truly was fickle. One thing could change everything.

He didnt think that it was a human, at least not directly. Gao Ningan, Lin Yuhuai and Chu Nianjiu were out of the question not just because he knew them like the back of his hand, but also because they lacked the strength or ability to do this.

Chu Qinglis followers couldnt be the ones either. They were weak enough that he saw through them with ease.

As for the jianghu warriors eating in the restaurant, their tables were far enough that he wouldve noticed if they had tried something.

It could be the doing of an exceptionally powerful warrior, but if they were that strong, then they wouldnt need to go through the trouble. They could just snuff him out like an ant.

If it wasnt a person, then it could only be an object. His intuition immediately pointed him toward the strange food he ate, specifically Where Goes The Soul.

The reason he arrived at this conclusion was because his companions had partaken in every strange dish on the table except Where Goes The Soul. More accurately, they had exactly one spoonful of the soup.

That was most likely the reason why he was the only one who had succumbed to the influence.

Was it the waiter? Assuming that the dish was tampered with, then the waiter who brought them the dishes was the most suspect.

Ye Qing immediately dashed toward the back kitchens.

Hes trying to run away! Stop him!

The three shadow guards thought Ye Qing was trying to escape and blocked his path immediately. However, Ye Qing easily knocked them out by tapping the space in front of him with his finger.

Ye Qing found the waiter immediately after he entered the back kitchens. He rushed forward and grabbed him by the shoulder.

Customer? The waiter recognized him and asked in a puzzled voice, Can I help you with something?

The back kitchens were a fair distance away from the dining hall. Clearly, neither he nor the kitchen staff was aware that a prince had just died in their establishment.

Ye Qing frowned. His demonic thought told him that the waiter wasnt really feeling anything, and he especially couldnt sense a shred of fear, worry or guilt from him. It didnt fit the mentality of a person harboring malicious designs at all.

He couldnt say he was surprised. If the waiter really was the culprit, then he wouldve booked it a long time ago. He wouldnt be staying here and waiting for Ye Qing to catch him.

Did you encounter anyone when you were carrying that Where Goes The Soul to my table? Or did something unusual happen? Ye Qing asked.

I dont understand

Despite knowing full well that someone was conspiring against him, he didnt have a shred of evidence to support his theory whatsoever. His opponent was like a veteran strange hunter who concealed themselves perfectly in the shadows while laying bait after bait to lure their preys into their death traps. No matter what choice they made, they were always moving toward a death trap that would rip their bodies into pieces. They werent even given the satisfaction of knowing who their killer was before their souls were delivered to the Western Paradise.

He had been lucky enough to survive the hunters first two death traps. He didnt know if he would survive a third. He truly didnt.

Hong Jianglong would believe him because he was a member of the Pacification Bureau. But what about the others?

Would the Harmony King believe that he was innocent?

Would Lei Xiaodan believe that he was innocent?

The people only believed in what they saw, and at least a hundred pairs of eyes had seen him killing Chu Qingli with his own two hands. He could commit suicide this instant, and he still wouldnt be able to clear his name.

You win.

Ye Qing looked up and exhaled deeply.

Rumble!

Someone kicked open the door to the back kitchen. The next moment, a troop of soldiers filed through the entrance. They were wearing heavy armor and wielding a heavy shield and a heavy crossbow.

When the squad leader spotted Ye Qing, he yelled harshly, The punishment for killing a prince is death! Kill him!

Twang twang twang!

The soldiers pulled the triggers and sent a hail of crossbow bolts sailing through the air. The kitchen staff was still in the kitchen, but the soldiers couldnt care less about them. Every room, every piece of furniture in the back kitchen was turned into pincushions, and everyone except Ye Qing died not because they were guilty, but because they were simply at the wrong place at the wrong time.

The Hengshan Army?!

Ye Qing slowly thrust his fist forward. Space shook, and the crossbow bolts flying toward him abruptly changed directions and planted themselves in the floor.

These soldiers belonged to the Hengshan Army, and his demonic thought told him that the whole restaurant was surrounded. Considering that it had only been minutes since the prince died, their appearance clearly wasnt a coincidence. This must be another one of the masterminds gifts.

The Hengshan Army wasnt originally part of the city patrol, but the Regional Inspection Office was running low on manpower due to the sheer number of jianghu warriors flooding into Tian Yong for the Hidden Dragon Meet. That was why the Hengshan Army was brought back to keep them in line and preserve the order.

The mastermind had included the Hengshan Army into their scheme. They certainly planned for everything and left nothing to chance.

On a related note, the Hengshan Army had tried to kill him as soon as they saw him. There were only two possibilities. One, the mastermind was part of the Hengshan Army. Two, the Hengshan Army was driven by their hatred for the Pacification Bureau. Hong Jianglong had rubbed their faces on the floor not long ago, and Zhou Hengshan made it crystal clear that he was against Hong Jianglong and the Pacification Bureau. Now that a golden opportunity to take the Pacification Bureau down a peg had fallen into their laps, of course they were going to wring it for all its worth.

Whatever the truth might be, he was in a terrible spot. Surrender wasnt an option, so the only path left for him was to escape.