Chapter 189: Chapter 119: Flying Saber Sneak Attack

Twelve thieves were bound together by a hemp rope. As Chen Cheng dragged them from the main gate of the City Guard Department to the Government Office Hall, they left a trail of snow mixed with flecks of blood. A scraping sound echoed across the bluestone floor.

Just then, one of the thieves banged his head on a step. The pain jolted him awake, and he immediately began to groan.

Chen Cheng frowned and shot a look at Li Sheng. Taking the hint, Li Sheng strode forward and kicked the thief in the forehead, knocking him out cold once more.

Only then did Chen Cheng resume pulling the thick hemp rope and walking forward.

Having never witnessed such a scene, the onlookers turned pale as ghosts. Like a flock of startled quails, they followed timidly behind Chen Cheng.

The square was covered in a thick blanket of snow. Paying it no mind, Chen Cheng simply tossed the thieves onto the snow-covered ground.

He then had Li Sheng and the others search the thieves. They found twenty or thirty money bags.

Most of these were coarse cloth bags filled with copper coins and very little silver. It was obvious they had been stolen from the poor.

After a moment of thought, Chen Cheng understood the logic. These thieves specifically preyed on the poor. For one, when poor people lost their money, they often faced starvation and would thus be compelled to report the crime to the City Guard Office.

For another, the thieves had been active in the Qingshui Pier area for over ten days. The wealthy families were already on high alert and had taken precautions, making them difficult targets.

After the count, Li Sheng reported, "Mr. Chen, it all adds up to eight thousand three hundred and fifty cents."

’Not even ten taels of silver. That’s a paltry sum.’ It also confirmed Chen Cheng’s suspicion that the thieves had likely given most of their haul to a handler.

And that handler was very likely the Tiger and Leopard Gang. If he could confirm it through interrogation, Chen Cheng would have just cause to move against the gang and wipe them out in one fell swoop.

Chen Cheng said, "This money was stolen from these good people. Return it to them."

Both shocked and overjoyed, the crowd quickly kowtowed and expressed their thanks.

"Thank you, Lord Chen!"

"It is my duty as an official to protect the people and keep the peace. There is no need for such ceremony." Chen Cheng waved his hand dismissively, but then his expression hardened. "However, do not make false reports. If I discover anyone attempting fraud, they will be treated the same as these thieves!"

The crowd shuddered in fear, hastily promising they wouldn’t dare.

The thieves were still lying on the snow, their conditions unknown. Who would dare get on the wrong side of this Chief Constable?

Chen Cheng had Li Sheng, Li Lin, and a few others handle the distribution of the money. He then called Mu Song over with a bucket of water and began the interrogation.

Interrogating criminals was a nuanced art. If he were dealing with hardened outlaws, he’d probably have to send them to the South City Prison’s torture chambers and use extreme measures to get them to talk.

Interrogating common street thieves, however, was far simpler. A little intimidation was usually all it took.

Chen Cheng’s method was to douse each thief with cold water to wake them, then question them one by one.

The thieves all reacted similarly. Waking up in the City Guard Department under the public’s gaze, they were already scared out of their wits. Chen Cheng didn’t even need to press them; they spilled everything without reservation.

Much to Chen Cheng’s disappointment, most of the thieves were refugees who had fled some disaster. They claimed to be stealing under the orders of a masked man dressed in black.

They had to give most of the stolen money to this man, who in turn guaranteed their safety. None of them knew his identity.

Another detail they all agreed on was that the masked man had a small, thin build but possessed great Martial Arts Power.

Two of the thieves had come from other districts, having heard that the City Guard Department’s patrols in the Qingshui Pier area were lax. However, they were soon recruited by the masked man as well.

None of the thieves’ confessions implicated the Tiger and Leopard Gang.

The thieves wouldn’t dare lie to Chen Cheng. According to the City Guard Department’s unwritten rules, an Official would usually just give petty street thieves a vicious beating and let it go. A more ruthless officer could even beat a thief to death with no repercussions.

Therefore, their confessions were completely credible.

After interrogating the thieves, Chen Cheng showed no sign of releasing them. Instead, he had them locked up in the temporary holding cells of the Lishui Sub-Department.

The temporary jail consisted of only two rooms, but it was no problem to squeeze all twelve men inside.

That afternoon, Chen Cheng went out in plainclothes and captured three more thieves. Their confessions all pointed to the same masked man in black.

...

In a lounge on the Third Floor of the Chief Constable’s Government Office Hall, an area overlooking the rear courtyard.

Ji Jingbei and Yang Xingyao stood by the window, watching as Chen Cheng emerged from the temporary holding cells, a thoughtful look on his face.

Yang Xingyao’s face was filled with scorn. He let out a dry laugh. "Uncle, Chen Cheng has been running around all day. I bet he thought he could get these petty crooks to implicate the Tiger and Leopard Gang, didn’t he?"

"What a shame. He’s still so young and naive. If the Tiger and Leopard Gang wanted to deal with him, why would they leave behind a trail for him to follow?"

Ji Jingbei’s expression was grim. "This young man is no simpleton," he said flatly. "We cannot afford to be careless."

Just then, Chen Cheng suddenly turned his head and looked up toward the Third Floor. A detached smile touched Ji Jingbei’s lips before he turned and walked away from the window.

Yang Xingyao, however, remained at the window, flashing a wide, radiant smile at Chen Cheng.

Chen Cheng impassively averted his gaze and continued on his way, his own schemes already taking shape in his mind.

’If I want to make a move on the Tiger and Leopard Gang, then I’ll make a move! As for the thieves’ confessions... isn’t what they say up to me? It looks like I’ll have to find some time to visit the South City Prison.’

’One trip to the Prison’s torture chamber, and a couple of them are bound to break under interrogation. They’ll confess that the Tiger and Leopard Gang is the mastermind. How simple!’

...

「Nightfall.」

Inside the meeting hall at the Tiger and Leopard Gang’s headquarters.