Chapter 398: Almost Forgot About Them
Meanwhile, on the main street, the group that had come to cause trouble suffered heavy losses—more than two to three hundred dead, and countless others wounded by arrows. In the end, all remaining fighters were captured.
“Take them all back and interrogate them thoroughly. Since they claim to be from the martial world, yet have such a large and organized presence, they must belong to a sect. Make sure we find out who they really are.”
“Understood, Miss.”
The captured men, now bound in steel cuffs, were dragged away to the city dungeon by the warriors of Luocheng.
These prisoners were furious, but no matter how much internal strength they had, the modern handcuffs that Yu Luo secretly bought from her system’s store were unbreakable.
Watching the once-chaotic street return to calm, Yu Luo felt no relief.
“Whoever sent these people to test Luocheng’s limits, they must be dealt with swiftly. Use any interrogation methods necessary—if they refuse to talk, let them taste every form of torture.”
Walking alongside Zhang Hu towards the City Lord’s Mansion, Yu Luo’s expression remained serious.
Zhang Hu nodded, his face grim as well.
“Miss, while you were away, Feng City sent two invitations, asking Lord Yu to visit. But with both you and Madam gone, he declined. Do you think… this attack might be Feng City retaliating in anger?”
“Feng City?”
Yu Luo’s brows lifted slightly, a flash of suspicion appearing in her eyes.
“What were the invitations for?”
“The first was for a private auction. The second was for something called a Wine Symposium.”
“A Wine Symposium?” Yu Luo frowned. “We were in Feng City before. I never heard of any Wine Symposium. Is this something new?”
“This is the first time Feng City has held such an event. Miss, during the Martial Arts Tournament, Feng City openly sent representatives to observe us. Perhaps it’s time we return the gesture.”
Yu Luo tapped her fingers against her sleeve, thinking.
“You’re right. But we have more urgent matters for now. Whether these troublemakers were sent by Feng City or not, we need to hold them for questioning first. Prepare some gifts tonight. Tomorrow, we’ll travel to Feng City and see what’s really going on.”
Zhang Hu nodded. “Understood, Miss. Will you be going as a man or a woman?”
Yu Luo paused for a moment, then smiled.
“Either works.”
Zhang Hu chuckled.
Just then, a breathless messenger rushed towards them as they approached the City Lord’s Mansion.
“Miss! Bad news! The old woman has been rescued! Yu Meiyao escaped too! Only Concubine Lan is still here!”
The sky had darkened, and hearing this urgent report, Yu Luo nearly laughed out loud.
She had almost forgotten about them entirely.
Pausing, she glanced at the messenger with an expression of mockery.
“They escaped? If you hadn’t come to report, I’d have completely forgotten about them.”
“Let Concubine Lan go too.”
The warriors of Luo City were stunned.
“Miss, but… you specifically ordered round-the-clock guards to keep watch. Why are we letting them go so easily?”
Yu Luo’s smile deepened, a mysterious gleam in her eyes.
“You’ll see soon enough.”
By the time this order reached the grain warehouse, the night was pitch dark.
The temperature plummeted, and inside the cold, damp storage shed, Concubine Lan curled up, her body trembling from hunger and chill.
At this time every night, they used to get a stale black bun to satisfy their hunger, and she would have Old Madam Chen and Meiyao to huddle with for warmth.
But tonight, she was completely alone.
Cold. Hungry. Exhausted.
Thinking of Old Madam Chen’s face, Concubine Lan clenched her teeth in hatred.
She had been poisoned by Meiyao’s words.
She wasn’t sure if Yu Luo would go after Old Madam Chen again, but if she did, at least Concubine Lan wouldn’t be the only one suffering.
And yet, deep down, what Concubine Lan truly wanted was for Yu Zhengqing to come and save her.
But… what if he never did?
Her anger and resentment slowly morphed into a sense of despair.
Just as Concubine Lan felt herself slipping into hopelessness, she suddenly heard a soft, scraping sound—
The metal lock on the storage room door was being picked.
The sound was clear in the dead of night.
Lan Shi immediately sat up, ears strained toward the door.
“CLANK!”
The lock fell open.
A lantern’s glow spilled into the room, and a tall figure stood at the entrance.
“Get out.”
A guard’s voice—calm, indifferent.
Concubine Lan’s breath caught.
For a moment, she thought she was hallucinating.
“Do you need me to drag you out?”
The guard took a step forward, impatiently.
Concubine Lan hesitated for just a moment before scrambling to her feet, stumbling forward.
Her legs felt weak, but her hunger and desperation kept her moving.
“D-Did you bring food?” she stammered. “I—I’m starving, could I just have a bun before—”
The guard scoffed.
“What nonsense are you talking about? You’re free to leave. Do you want to stay instead?”
Concubine Lan froze.
“You… you’re saying Yu Luo let me go?”
“Obviously. She ordered it herself.”
The guard’s patience ran out.
He grabbed Concubine Lan’s arm roughly, yanked her outside, and shoved her into the street.
A cold wind swept over her, making her shiver violently.
Concubine Lan stood there dazed, before her mind finally caught up.
She was free.
“She… she really let me go?” she whispered, unable to believe it.
“Of course. Now get lost before I change my mind.”
Concubine Lan didn’t need to be told twice.
As she stepped onto the main street, the lantern-lit cityscape stretched out before her.
And the more she walked, the wider her eyes became.
She could still remember when they were first dragged into Luo City—
Back then, the streets were barren.
There were no shops.
Only workers, laboring under the watchful eyes of the guards.
But now…
Now, the city looked completely different.
