I am a swordsman in a strange city

Chapter 64 Interrogation
Pei Ju carried his grandfather on his back, while the female Taoist took out a bag and put Director Huang's body inside it. Then the bag shrank in her hand and she could carry it directly.

The old Taoist priest led the way out of the temple gate, with Pei Ju following behind.

Walking in the darkness, he felt a strange sense of excitement that overcame his sadness.

Looking at the distant sky, the stars are still there, shining on a corner of the sky, as if that is the exit of this world.

He didn't know why, but he felt a sense of joy, as if he could finally get out.

As they walked, the old Taoist priest in front of them suddenly spoke up, "Are you happy?"

"What?" Pei Ju asked in confusion.

"You've been imprisoned in this flawed world for countless years. Now that you have the chance to get out, are you happy?" The old Taoist suddenly stopped, turned around, and asked.

At that moment, Pei Ju saw indifference in the old Taoist's eyes.

"Grandpa?..."

"Little Juzi, remember to come find your grandfather." The old Taoist's voice...
However, before he could finish speaking, the old Taoist had already raised his sword and swung it down. Pei Ju could only see a glimmer of starlight.

A thought urges him to resist, but a hand presses down on his shoulder, instantly stiffening his body as if he were being crushed by gravity, rendering him unable to move.

Starlight fell with the sword, rushing into his mind. His consciousness seemed to be extinguished, and the only source of light in his world was like a candle flame being blown out.

……

When Pei Ju woke up again, it was already half a month later.

Moreover, he woke up not in his own sword hall, but in a hospital.

He felt dizzy, as if his head was covered by a cloth, tightly wrapped, and a nurse in white was taking care of him.

However, that evening, people from the Cleansing Bureau came to find him.

……

"Did you see Director Huang when he passed away?" In the interrogation room, an incandescent light shone on him, while the rest of the room was dark. The people being interrogated were all in darkness in Pei Ju's eyes because the light was too strong, so he couldn't see them clearly at all.

"I saw it," Pei Ju replied truthfully.

"Describe what you saw truthfully," the questioner asked Pei Ju from the darkness.

Pei Ju had only just woken up and had no other thoughts. He began to describe what he had seen, and fortunately, he had not forgotten it.

"When you were describing it, you paused frequently. Were you making it up?"

“No, it’s just because I’ve forgotten some of the circumstances,” Pei Ju said.

"So you mean you're not even sure if what you're saying is true?"

“No, I’m certain of everything I say,” Pei Ju replied.

Can you take responsibility for your words?

“Okay,” Pei Ju said.

"You say that Director Huang collapsed after only glancing at the statue. What evidence do you have?"

“No, but that’s the truth,” Pei Ju said.

Why don't you go see it?

“I didn’t have time,” Pei Ju said.

Why didn't your grandfather go see him?

“My grandfather was already injured and lying on the ground at that time,” Pei Ju said.

"It is said that your grandfather actually injured himself on purpose so that Director Huang could see the statue and thus deplete its energy."

"According to whom?" Pei Ju asked instinctively.

"Bang!" Someone slammed their hand on the table in the darkness and shouted, "Answer me honestly!"

Pei Ju was still dizzy. He reached out and wiped his face, then slowly said, "I am very grateful to Director Huang for entering the Mirror of the Temple to help us get rid of that Mountain Lord. He repelled that Mirror Master and his men and saved my grandfather. I am very grateful to him."

"Director Huang was a professional 7th dan, yet he died inside, while you and your grandfather survived. Is there some secret behind this?"

“I haven’t heard of any secrets. My grandfather came in later. Since he invited Director Huang in as well, the Cleansing Spirit Bureau must know about it,” Pei Ju said slowly, calming himself down.

He remembered his grandfather saying, "Just tell the truth," when he was inside. It turned out that his grandfather had foreseen that this would happen.

Just then, the door to the interrogation room was pushed open, and a middle-aged woman dressed in a black robe walked in.

"Pei Ju, come with me."

This person was none other than Han Yitong.

“Ms. Han, he is still being interrogated.” Someone stood up in the darkness and said, his voice rising and becoming somewhat loud.

“I have heard your interrogation. I do not think there is any need for further questioning. Moreover, he is innocent. Furthermore, the Taoist Association has already said that Director Huang was killed by the mountain spirit in the temple.”

"With Director Huang's abilities, this shouldn't have been the outcome."

“Anything can happen in the Spirit Realm, let alone the Mythical Spirit Realm. Besides, Director Huang violated the rule that one cannot look directly at the gods, so it is normal for him to suffer this calamity.”

"Director Huang has been to so many spiritual realms, how could he make such a mistake? Even so, with Director Huang's abilities, looking directly at 'spirits' is not a big taboo."

"Heh." Han Yitong sneered and said, "This is an administrative order from the Super Committee. Pei Ju is not suspected of framing or inducing Director Huang to confront the 'Mountain King' directly. He is hereby released."

Pei Ju stood up, and no one stopped him.

Follow Han Yitong out.

Han Yitong led him out of the Cleansing Bureau and to a restaurant, a Xijiang stir-fry restaurant.

Neither of them spoke.

We ordered two dishes: stir-fried pork with chili peppers and steamed egg.

Pei Ju finished eating silently. Han Yitong sat there, dressed in a black robe, looking like a mature woman who had stepped out of the inner chambers of ancient times and into the modern world.

She gazed at her junior with pity, regret, and sympathy in her eyes, but deep within those eyes was a condescending gaze, as if it came from a higher being scrutinizing the plight of the inferior.

"The current opinion of the Cleansing Bureau and some related parties is that Director Huang fell into your grandfather's trap and became a pawn to wear down 'Mountain Lord' after he went in."

Pei Ju was slightly taken aback, but continued eating. He ate rice with steamed egg and stir-fried meat with chili peppers.

Pei Ju then realized why he had been taken to the Spirit Purification Bureau for questioning without even eating anything after waking up, although he had guessed the reason. "Director Huang has entered many spirit realms and is very experienced. He was a member of the national pioneering team, but he died mysteriously in your family's temple. Many of his friends and some related units cannot accept this."

"I've already said everything I know there, and I can't guess what I don't know," Pei Ju said, his mouth full of rice.

“I know you’re not a boy who lies. What you’re saying must be something you know. Even if you are lying, you can’t fool those people,” Han Yitong said.

Pei Ju ate his meal in silence.

He suddenly had another thought: there were many things he didn't know while he was with his grandfather, meaning that his grandfather seemed to have not told him many things.

I didn't know much about Director Huang, and my grandfather had hardly ever talked about him.

Just like this time, he was quite surprised when Director Huang came in.

In truth, he was surprised and astonished as to why Director Huang had come in and died so easily. However, he did not express this surprise and astonishment. Even if someone noticed his subtle expressions, the people interrogating him could not discern anything more.

He swallowed the food in his mouth and said, "Where is my grandfather?"

"Your maternal grandfather left after he came out. He was picked up by people from the Taoist Association," Han Yitong said. "Although your maternal grandfather is not well-known, he has a very high status in the Zhengyi sect in the south. The Celestial Master of the Zhengyi sect personally called to say that your maternal grandfather was unwell and needed to return to the Taoist temple to recuperate."

"However, the Zhengyi Sect sent someone to produce a written document from your grandfather's perspective. I read the document, which said that when they arrived, Director Huang had already collapsed to the ground."

“That’s what I know too. When Grandpa arrived, Director Huang was already dead,” Pei Ju said.

"That's the key point. You said that Director Huang pushed aside the branches on the statue, looked at the statue, and then collapsed. But as a battle-hardened person, Director Huang shouldn't have been so reckless. Even so, with his strength, he shouldn't have collapsed like that."

“Everyone believes there are some unknown reasons behind this.” Pei Ju put down his chopsticks.

Pei Ju genuinely didn't know the reason.

Han Yitong observed Pei Ju's expression and said, "You may not know, but that doesn't mean it didn't happen."

“I really don’t know,” Pei Ju replied.

"It doesn't matter if you don't know. Your grandfather was injured by the Mirror Spirit's magic and hasn't woken up yet. Even if he does wake up, I'm afraid no one can do anything to him. Your maternal grandfather is far away in Xijiang, and no one in Haishi can do anything to him either."

“So, they can only question you, but it seems you really don’t know anything,” Han Yitong said.

Pei Ju remained silent, sitting there with a slight frown.

“Your grandfather and maternal grandfather protected you very well,” Han Yitong suddenly said.

"What do you mean?" Pei Ju asked.

"As far as I know, one of the reasons why Huang Di prevented the relevant authorities from nationalizing your family's temple is because he coveted it."

"Does he also want to obtain its divinity?" Pei Ju said.

"Of course, many people want it, but your family's temple is in the public eye, and coupled with the Pei family's hidden status in this city, no one dares to openly try to take it."

Pei Ju suddenly thought of a possibility.

He remembered his grandfather saying that his father lost to Huang Di in a competition, and then wanted to go further in the temple, but ended up being haunted by a monster.

That would mean that Huang Di was the cause of his father's death.

From this perspective, Grandpa had every reason to kill Huang Di.

This time, it was Huang Di who came in with his grandfather.

Pei Ju didn't know if his grandfather still held a grudge about this.

If so, then Grandpa must have suffered a lot over the years.

A person who has outlived their child, a person who watches their son being plagued by strange phenomena but is powerless to help, can never be happy.

“My aunt said that your grandfather used to be a very cheerful person,” Han Yitong said.

Pei Ju could roughly understand what she meant when he heard this.

"So, before I met Fourth Master, I always thought he was a loyal, humorous, and cheerful old man, but after I met him, that's not the case."

Pei Ju understood what she meant, because in his memory, his grandfather was a man of few words who kept everything to himself.

“My aunt’s family has photos of your grandfather when he was young. He looks very different from how he looks now. There’s a saying that your appearance reflects your heart. Fourth Master’s face has become gloomy,” Han Yitong said.

She was talking about what she had seen and what she had felt.

However, Pei Ju could not refute it.

Because his grandfather has been like this ever since he can remember.

He also understood the meaning behind Han Yitong's words: she meant that her grandfather had a motive to harm Director Huang.

There was a motive, but no evidence.

Pei Ju stopped speaking.

“It’s alright. Your grandfather asked me to take care of you, and I agreed. Given the relationship between your grandfather and my aunt, I wouldn’t just stand by and do nothing. Besides, you call me teacher, so I can’t possibly ignore you.”

“Teacher Han, I will remember your help to the Pei family,” Pei Ju said.

Han Yitong suddenly smiled and said, "Little Pei Ju, you've grown up. But you need to take these words to heart."

“The Pei family always keeps their word,” Pei Ju said very seriously.

Han Yitong didn't speak, but just looked Pei Ju over. After a while, she said, "You're still young. You don't know the weight of what you say. Of course, some people make promises without intending to keep them, so they just say them lightly. You're my student, and I don't want you to make promises so easily."

Pei Ju knew that sometimes, no matter how much you talk, it's not as good as doing something yourself. When others question you, it's meaningless to keep affirming your promises.

So he didn't say anything more, but kept Teacher Han's help in his heart.

“Your home has been expropriated, and the government has provided you with a replacement house,” Han Yitong said.

"I want to see Grandpa." Pei Ju's expression fell again as he thought of his grandfather.

"it is good."

Pei Ju thought of his grandfather in that temple, and a bad feeling crept into his heart.

"How is my grandfather?" Pei Ju couldn't help but ask.

"You'll see when you see it; they're doing everything they can to save him." Han Yitong was telling the truth. The crystallized body was a good case, and this experience was definitely worth gaining.

(End of this chapter)