Once I enter the pass, great Confucian scholars will surely debate the classics for me.

Gong Yulu covered her face and said painfully, "As time goes by, that mysterious power continues to erode my body, making my body stronger and stronger, but I am in more and more pain and weaker and weaker."

"A few pustules started to appear on my skin, and I had a splitting headache from time to time. My vision was always blurry, turning black and green. I couldn't help but want to bite the living people around me. I realized that I was sick, and very sick."

“That day I went out to find a doctor. When I passed by Pomo Lane, I ran into Yang Jianxin. He wanted to check my household registration. In my panic, I lost consciousness.”

“When I regained consciousness, I realized I had caused a huge disaster. I ran away in fear and haven’t dared to contact anyone since. I haven’t even dared to go back to the slums. I’ve been hiding in an abandoned workshop to avoid trouble.”

Zhou Qingfeng listened, nodding frequently, seemingly lost in thought.

Gong Yulu said, "Commander, do I need to say anything more about what happens next?"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Qingfeng cracked some melon seeds and said, "Of course you have to tell them. Someone is taking your statement, so you have to explain everything in detail."

Gong Yulu lowered his head and explained the rest of the story in detail. He was thinking of lying low for a while before leaving the city. After all, the case had occurred a few days ago and the authorities were strict. He couldn't run away anywhere and might even be arrested.

He waited a few days until things calmed down in Sword Tower City. Only then did he manage to find a human smuggler in the dock area to discuss the time, place, and cost of smuggling himself out of the city.

According to industry practice, 7 to 10 yuan is the going rate. Gong Yuluo's 20 yuan earned from underground boxing was enough to cover the cost of smuggling himself out of the city, and he could even keep some money in his pocket.

Unexpectedly, the smuggler demanded exorbitant prices. Seeing that he was a wanted criminal in the city, he immediately made an outrageous demand, asking for 250,000 taels of silver, refusing to pay even a single tael less. Gong Yulu was short 50,000 taels, and no amount of pleading or persuasion could change his mind.

The sly fox sent him to raise money and took all 20 coins from Gong Yuluo as a deposit. They agreed that they would depart from Pier 6 in three days. If the money wasn't raised enough, he wouldn't be able to board the ship, and the money wouldn't be refunded.

When you're under someone's roof, you have to bow your head. Gong Yuluo had to leave the city, but the opportunity to leave was in the hands of the smugglers. So he could only do whatever they said, and he had no choice but to endure it, no matter how corrupt they were.

But where can we get the money? We need to make up the remaining 50,000 in legal fees in three days, and we also need to get some travel expenses.

He borrowed money from people whose friends all lived in slums and were penniless. Besides, no one dared to deal with a wanted criminal who had killed an official in the street. Not reporting him on the spot was considered a sign of loyalty.

Gong Yu made a snap decision, stomped his foot, and thought, "Damn it! I've already killed the officials, what's there to be afraid of? If I need money, I'll just rob them." He chose a gambling den and went to rob it. It was his first time robbing a gambling den, so he had no experience. He managed to steal a few million in money, but he was chased around by the gambling den's thugs.

Gong Yulu recounted the entire story from beginning to end in detail.

Jin Wei took out paper and pen and stood up to write down the perpetrator's confession.

After Gong Yulu finished speaking, Zhou Qingfeng made her repeat it, and then made her repeat it again. This went on for over a hundred times. Zhou Qingfeng was fine, as he had food and drink and could sit still, but Gong Yulu's mentality started to crumble.

Gong Yulu gripped the cage with both hands, exhausted, and slowly knelt down, beginning to wail and howl: "Boss~~~ I've already repeated it 173 times, how many more times do you want me to repeat it? You might as well just kill me."

Zhou Qingfeng ignored Gong Yuluo, stood up, clapped his hands, and turned to walk outside. Seeing this, Jin Wei immediately put away his paper and pen and followed him until they walked out of the Plum Blossom Division's independent prison.

Jin Wei clasped his hands and said, "There are discrepancies in the details of what the perpetrators said. Za Mao said that Gong Yulu took the initiative to raise the price and throw money at him, which made him take risks. Gong Yulu said that Za Mao raised the price on the spot. The two sides' testimonies are different."

Zhou Qingfeng said calmly, "It's normal. People always choose to say things that are advantageous to themselves. It's a minor issue. You can handle it yourself. Have you noticed anything else unusual?"

Jin Wei said, "No, it's normal for someone to repeat something more than a hundred times, with slight differences in details each time. If it were exactly the same, then they would have memorized the lines beforehand."

Zhou Qingfeng nodded: "You and Zhiqi continue the interrogation, and go out more often to find some witnesses to ask. You must verify the confession of the perpetrator from multiple perspectives. One-sided statements are not credible."

Jin Wei bowed and clasped his hands in a fist salute: "This subordinate understands."

"Keep it up!" Zhou Qingfeng patted Jin Wei on the shoulder and left with his hands behind his back.

Gong Yuluo's eloquent words were merely his one-sided account, and without verification from multiple perspectives, Zhou Qingfeng would not hastily close the case, much less transfer the case of murdering an official and plotting rebellion to the city lord for approval.

However, since the murderer has been caught, Zhou Qingfeng's pressure has been greatly reduced. He can give a satisfactory explanation to his superiors at any time. Now, all that remains is to wrap up the case of the murder of an official and plot to rebel.

Let's see if there are any other major discoveries, and whether we can further expand our gains.

Time flies like an arrow, and seven days have passed in the blink of an eye.

On this day, a major event occurred at the Fifth Plum Blossom Division: Luo Bingyi, who had been on sick leave, returned.

However, the main hall where Luo Bingyi worked had already been occupied by Zhou Qingfeng.

Zhai Xingyuan and Yan Wenjiu, along with the other students, didn't mention such trivial matters to Luo Bingyi, which led to Luo Bingyi's first action upon returning to his office being to head straight to his own workspace.

Zhou Qingfeng sat in the main seat of the main hall, with Jin Wei and Zhiqi standing below him.

Zhiqi and Jinwei were presenting the compiled case files to Zhou Qingfeng and waiting for his signature. Once Zhou Qingfeng signed, the case would be considered settled, and the next step would be to hand it over to the City Lord's Mansion for approval.

As Zhou Qingfeng was reviewing the case files in detail, he keenly sensed someone entering. He looked up and saw someone walking in through the main hall entrance. He paused slightly, then smiled and said, "Manager Luo is back."

He stood up to greet them, then casually waved to Jin Wei and the other man holding the weapon, signaling them to go down first.

Jin Wei and Zhi Qi exchanged a glance, clasped their hands in a salute, took a few steps back, and then respectfully bowed to Manager Luo before striding away. The two were impeccable in their manners.

Zhou Qingfeng stepped forward, clasped his hands in greeting, and said, "Manager Luo, I'm so sorry. Since the main hall has been empty during your sick leave, I'll borrow it for a while to work."

"I didn't expect you to recover and return so quickly. Why didn't you inform me beforehand?"

"Alas, I don't have time to make room right now. How about I have my men prepare a side hall for you to work in temporarily? Once I've finished preparing this side hall, you can work in the main hall. What do you think, Manager Luo?"