Chapter 321 - 188: Damn, I Got Used by That Woman
"Jiang Feng is always cautious, how did he not stop her?"
"She led the Prison Army out of the city—doesn’t he know that’s against the law?"
"Arresting fugitives is the job of the Dragon Capital Government Office. Since when does Zhenbei Prison get to butt in?"
"And she brought out more than a hundred men."
"Listen up—once Chu Tianhe gets back, tell him to see me immediately."
"Get out!"
"Yes, I’ll take my leave, sir!"
Following Jiang Feng’s instructions, Officer Zhao reported Liu Yun’s situation to Bao Longwei. When Bao Longwei learned what had happened, he chewed Officer Zhao out, cursing him from head to toe.
He knew, of course, that Liu Yun had taken the Prison Army out of the city to search for the White Ape’s offspring. There was no fugitive she actually needed to catch.
Covered in dust, Officer Zhao returned to Zhenbei Prison and reported to Jiang Feng: "Commander Jiang, the chief was furious and told me to tell Commander Chu to see him as soon as he gets back."
"Commander Chu won’t be coming back so easily. When the Squad Leader shifts change, go to the Capital City again, and just say Commander Chu is temporarily unable to get away."
Jiang Feng knew full well that Liu Yun had finally managed to get the Prison Army out of the city. She wouldn’t give up unless she found the White Ape’s offspring. If no one stopped her, she could end up camping outside the city for ten days or even half a month—until she found the little monkey.
"Ah?"
Officer Zhao gaped, afraid he’d get scolded again if he went back.
"Is there a problem?"
Jiang Feng asked, confused.
"No problem, sir, I’ll take my leave."
Officer Zhao smiled even worse than a bitter melon.
When the Squad Leader shift ended, Officer Zhao went back to the Capital City, where he saw Bao Longwei, who had just finished his official business. Kneeling, he reported, "Sir, Commander Chu still hasn’t returned. Commander Jiang was worried something happened to him and so sent me to report."
"Hmph, why didn’t Jiang Feng come personally?"
Bao Longwei snorted coldly.
"Commander Liu isn’t here, so Commander Jiang has to stay to oversee the situation."
Officer Zhao helped Jiang Feng explain.
Inside, he was grumbling: It’s not because of that. He’s just scared you’ll yell at him, so he sent me to take the bullets.
"A mere Officer Zhao, yet you know to cover for your superior—not bad."
Bao Longwei laughed.
"I wouldn’t dare."
Officer Zhao lowered his head to the ground. Ever since he started working for Jiang Feng, he’d caught Jiang Feng’s overly cautious manner. Now, he would analyze every word his superiors said, worried he might walk into a trap.
"Here’s my Identity Token. Take it out of the city and get Chu Tianhe back for me. Tell him to bring the token and come see me."
Bao Longwei tossed the token to Officer Zhao.
"Yes, sir."
Officer Zhao took the token. Once he left the Capital City, he was thoroughly depressed. The token would, of course, let him order Chu Tianhe to return, but this way he’d also indirectly offend Liu Yun.
As a subordinate, getting kicked around like a football by your superiors, pretty soon everyone who saw you would find you disgusting.
But Officer Zhao had no choice. He could only ride his horse out of the city, not daring to waste a single moment.
"This Jiang Feng... mm, interesting."
After Officer Zhao left, Bao Longwei couldn’t help laughing and shaking his head. He knew that Jiang Feng just didn’t want Liu Yun and Chu Tianhe causing trouble outside the city, so he was rushing to get Chu Tianhe called back to avoid getting involved.
He’d actually intended to have Officer Zhao hand the token over to Jiang Feng and send Jiang Feng himself out to find Chu Tianhe. But he realized Jiang Feng was trying to avoid trouble, and to prevent more conflict between Jiang Feng and Liu Yun, he gave the token to Officer Zhao to let him be the scapegoat.
Inside Zhenbei Prison, Jiang Feng was soaking in a hot bath in his own courtyard, beside a bucket with a pile of peanuts and half a jug of yellow rice wine.
When Officer Zhao went to the Capital City and never returned, Jiang Feng knew right away that Bao Longwei must have sent Officer Zhao out to look for Chu Tianhe.
Looks like this wave of danger is about to pass successfully.
And the little monkey gets to avoid being caught by Liu Yun.
Next morning.
Jiang Feng checked his Fortune Points.
Fortune: 175,971
Overnight, his Fortune Points had increased by nearly twenty thousand.
Apparently, Liu Yun’s unauthorized trip with the Prison Army, if used by someone with ulterior motives, could bring a lot of trouble for Jiang Feng.
"Bang!"
After breakfast, Jiang Feng heard the sound of a heavy door slamming in the neighboring courtyard—Liu Yun was back.
"Commander Jiang."
When he got to the office, Jiang Feng saw Officer Zhao covered in mud and bruises, standing in the doorway with a face full of grievances.
He’d spent all last night trying to find out where Chu Tianhe and the others were in the forest outside the city. Before he found Chu Tianhe, Officer Zhao first ran into a pack of wild wolves that attacked him. His horse died then and there. Scared out of his wits, he fled into the forest and accidentally fell into a raging river. When he got to shore, he was grabbed and beaten up by a red-haired baboon more than two meters tall, finally getting kicked back into the river.
Floating downstream, surviving by a hair, Officer Zhao finally saw a group of people carrying torches and wandering aimlessly. When he got close, he at last found Chu Tianhe.
After showing the token, Chu Tianhe immediately led his men back overnight to the Capital City, while Officer Zhao and Liu Yun returned to Zhenbei Prison.
Because Chu Tianhe was called back, the Prison Army followed him. Liu Yun’s plan was cut short, so she took her frustration out on Officer Zhao, never giving him a good look the whole way.
Right now, Officer Zhao felt seriously wronged.
In all of Zhenbei Prison, Jiang Feng was the only pillar left for him—and Jiang Feng had set him up to suffer like this, leaving him with nowhere to vent.
"These hairs on you?"
Jiang Feng’s attention was drawn first to the red hairs on Officer Zhao.
He picked up a few to have a good look, and the more he looked, the more familiar they seemed.
"Red-haired baboon hair. I went through their territory and got into a fight with them. All these injuries are from them. But they didn’t have it all their way—I wiped the floor with the lot of them."