Chapter 544: The Condemned
Chapter 544: Chapter 544: The Condemned
The panicked prison guard looked up and froze, stunned by an exquisitely beautiful face.
Perhaps it was because her dark eyes were too intimidating, but he didn’t even think to ask her identity before instinctively stammering, "I-I don’t know..."
Ye Chutang released her grip and went straight for the head guard.
"Have you seen the Heir of Duke Dingbei?"
The head guard, already stupefied by the riot, subconsciously turned at the sound of her voice. Seeing it was just a young girl, his mind went blank.
’Who is this?’
’What in the world is going on!?’
"H-He... I don’t know either!"
The head guard was cursing his luck internally.
He was on duty today, and of all things, a fire had to break out. His superiors had ordered them to get these prisoners out, or they would be the ones held responsible.
He was just unlucky to get stuck with this mess. Otherwise, who would want to risk their life in this chaos?!
Ye Chutang’s eyes turned cold. "You don’t know?"
’There’s only one path from the south gate. Shen Yanchuan came in earlier. How could he possibly know nothing at all?’
Just then, a stammering voice spoke up from the side:
"Th-that is, I think I saw the Princely Heir earlier, but he was moving very fast. I only caught a glimpse of a shadow from afar, and he was gone in the blink of an eye..."
Ye Chutang turned around. The speaker was an elderly prison guard.
"Where did he go?"
The prison guard hesitated, pointing in the opposite direction.
"H-He should be over there!"
Ye Chutang looked back.
When she first entered, she had heard the clamor from this direction and headed this way.
It was actually a T-junction. Besides this path, there was another one leading in the complete opposite direction.
But unlike the chaos here, that side was deathly quiet and empty.
Even the candlelight on the walls was far dimmer and more decrepit than over here, clearly not well-maintained.
So much so that when she tried to look deeper, all she could see was a pitch-black void and nothing else.
"Th-that’s the area where the death row inmates are held. The higher-ups said to... to prioritize this section first..."
The prison guard’s voice grew softer and softer, his guilt evident.
In reality, the orders they had received were even more direct: the death row inmates were going to die anyway, so it was pointless to waste manpower and resources saving them! Everyone was to focus their efforts on getting the other prisoners out!
In other words, that area... had been deliberately abandoned!
The moment Ye Chutang heard his words, understanding dawned. A flurry of thoughts crossed her mind, and she quickly made a decision.
She released the head guard, spun on her heel, and walked up to the guard who had spoken.
Seeing that though she was young, she carried an extraordinary aura, the prison guard grew nervous. "You... you were looking for him to—"
SHINK!
Ye Chutang drew the sword from his waist.
"I’ll be borrowing this. Thank you."
With that, she turned and headed straight in the other direction.
The prison guard stood dumbfounded, and the few others who witnessed the scene were also completely bewildered.
’Th-this—’
The prison guard subconsciously looked at the head guard. "She’s actually going over there!? Shouldn’t we try to stop her?"
The head guard stared at her slender, straight back, the shiver of fear that had shot through him when their eyes met still lingering.
’This is definitely not someone to be trifled with!’
"Why bother with her!" The head guard suppressed his fear and spat fiercely on the ground.
They couldn’t even control these rioting prisoners, let alone anyone else.
’If she wants to get herself killed, let her!’
"Hurry up and report to the superiors! It’s total chaos in here!"
「...」
Unlike the other side, this area was much quieter.
The deeper Ye Chutang went, the thicker the grim, cold air became.
The acrid stench of blood washed over her, almost suffocating.
Perhaps because this was where the death row inmates were held, there were far fewer prisoners. Ye Chutang walked for quite a distance, and the cells on both sides were empty.
A glance to either side revealed that the cells here were even more solidly built than in the other section, with heavy chains on the doors that would be difficult to open.
Many who were brought here would never see the light of day again. Naturally, no one cared much for their well-being, and the conditions of their confinement were extremely harsh.
Cramped, damp, and utterly filthy.
Her expression unchanging, Ye Chutang continued forward.
’The Southern Hu Blade Men have special identities. It’s obvious they’d be under heavy guard after being brought in. Ordinary prison guards wouldn’t even be able to get close.’
’Especially since Shen Yanchuan mentioned they were secretly imprisoned after being captured. Even fewer people must know about it.’
’That’s why Shen Yanchuan came to find them himself!’
Ye Chutang tightened her grip on the sword’s hilt, her steps light as she continued deeper inside.
’Shen Yanchuan, where on earth are you?’
「...」
Time trickled by.
Shen Yanchuan moved with practiced ease, arriving in the depths of the prison.
The path ended ahead, blocked by a thick stone wall. A single candle flickered, threatening to go out at any moment.
Its weak light barely illuminated a small circle below it.
Dark brown, old bloodstains soaked the surface, some having already turned black.
There were also a few scattered crimson spots nearby, likely fresh.
Shen Yanchuan’s gaze swept over it, his eyes betraying no emotion.
Then, he took a step forward and raised a hand to touch the stone wall.
His long, slender fingers slowly traced the surface, as if searching for something.
If Fan Chengzhuo and the others were here, they would have been shocked by how familiar Shen Yanchuan was with the Ministry of Justice Prison!
Not only had he reached this place unimpeded, but he even knew about the mechanism hidden here!
CLICK—!
Shen Yanchuan found a barely noticeable protrusion on the wall. With a light press, a soft sound was heard, and the wall in front of him began to slowly open!
A neat crack appeared down the middle as the stone wall split into two large doors, parting to either side.
A foul odor wafted out from within.
Unlike the smell of blood outside, this nauseating, repulsive stench... was the stench of rot!
Shen Yanchuan’s eyes turned cold.
’Just as I thought!’
He started to move, about to step forward, when a sharp sound suddenly cut through the air behind his head!
SWOOSH—!
A cold gust of wind, thick with murderous intent, shot straight for him!