Chapter 85 — The Talisman Painter Who Guards the Village

Reverse Arrest Warrant

The gate of Khâm Vân Ti headquarters stood tall in front of us, two heavy ironwood doors carved with intricate rattan patterns, on both sides there were guards standing at attention, their spears shining in the noon sun. Diệp Sương stopped for a moment in front of the stone steps, took a deep breath before stepping up to present the letter bearing the sect's seal.

"We are here under the official investigation order of Tông Vân Các," Tất Bá Kỳ said, his voice firm, handing the letter to the officer on duty at the gate. "I would like an audience with the official in charge of the archives, regarding a matter that needs clarification."

The mandarin on duty at the gate glanced at the letter, his eyes slightly confused at the majestic seal of Tông Vân Các, then quickly sent someone inside to report the news, leaving the whole group to wait outside in the courtyard in tense silence that lasted nearly half an hour.

*

When the gate finally opened, it was not a low-ranking official who stepped forward to welcome her, but Lỗ Khắc Viên, slim and calm-faced, his sharp eyes scanning each member of the group before stopping at Diệp Sương.

"Miss Chu," he said, his voice still as gentle as when they first met at Tiêu Sa Pass, but this time, that gentleness had a much colder tone. "I didn't expect that, just a few weeks after that short meeting, you would come all the way to the capital, bringing with you such a large group of people."

"We came to request to review some archived records, related to an official investigation," Diệp Sương replied, trying to keep her voice calm even though her heart was pounding.

*

Lỗ Khắc Viên smiled slightly, the smile did not reach his eyes like last time. "What investigation, miss? I'm afraid, you are misunderstanding your authority. Tông Vân Các is a cultivation sect, not a judicial agency with the authority to request Khâm Vân Ti to open a secret archive."

"So what about the story of one of your servants running away with secret documents?" Cố Bạt Nguyên spoke up, his voice sharp, stepping up to stand on the same level as Diệp Sương. "I am Cố Bạt Nguyên, the Great General defending the capital. If you want to discuss authority, perhaps you should remember that the internal security of the court is also within the scope of my responsibility."

*

Lỗ Khắc Viên's eyes momentarily froze for a moment when he recognized the general standing in front of him, but he quickly regained his usual composure. "The General has gone too far," he said, his voice still polite. "Chúc Nghi Lam, my servant, stole confidential documents related to national security, then fled. This is a serious crime, I have every right to request her arrest right here, in front of you."

Chúc Nghi Lam stood behind, her whole body trembling, but she still held her head high and did not dodge. "What I copied were not national security documents, but evidence of an illegal Linh Mạch mining program that has caused countless disasters over the past fifteen years," she said, her voice trembling but not yielding.

*

"A serious accusation, from a man wanted for theft," Lỗ Khắc Viên replied, his voice still frighteningly calm. "I advise you to consider carefully before trusting the words of someone who has proven himself untrustworthy through his own betrayal."

Diệp Sương took a step forward, her eyes never avoiding the Supervisor's sharp gaze. "If you have nothing to hide," she said, her voice firm, "then allow us to look over the records of the Special Coordination Line openly and transparently, right here, under the General's supervision. If it is indeed only legal surveying as you maintain, we will leave immediately, without a word of complaint."

*

There was a very short, almost imperceptible moment when Lỗ Khắc Viên's eyes showed a flicker of fluctuation, before he regained his familiar composure. "Confidential files cannot be arbitrarily made public, even in front of the General," he said. "Those are royal regulations, not my personal wishes."

"Then maybe we need to take this matter straight to the dragon's pedestal," Cố Bạt Nguyên said, his voice cold. "Let Your Majesty personally judge whether that security regulation is protecting national security, or protecting yourself."

*

Lỗ Khắc Viên was silent for a long time, his eyes swept over each person in the group, finally stopping at Diệp Sương with a look of deep scrutiny, as if considering a new move. "Okay," he said finally, his voice ominously gentle again. "I will present it to the court, asking for permission to hold an official interrogation, with the participation of both sides. But that requires preparation time, at least five days."

"Five days is too long, when that network could still be continuing to drain Linh Mạch somewhere right now," Diệp Sương immediately rebutted.

"That is the only condition I can offer," Lỗ Khắc Viên replied, his voice lacking any mercy. "You can wait, or you can choose to act outside the legal framework, and then you will become the first lawbreakers in this story, not me."

*

He turned to leave, but stopped for a moment, his eyes glanced at Diệp Sương one last time. "Ah, Miss Chu," he added, his voice as light as a small talk, "I heard that Tùng Lĩnh Village has recently had several geological survey teams visit to check the land condition after many years. Hopefully, your relatives there are still safe."

That idle sentence made Diệp Sương's whole body cold, not because of the content of the sentence, but because of the way it was uttered - gently, naturally, like a naked threat cleverly disguised under the cover of social concern.

*

"What did you just say?" Thanh Việt stepped forward, his voice tight, his hands clenched until they turned white.

Lỗ Khắc Viên just shrugged slightly, did not answer, turned and walked inside, leaving the gate slamming behind, ending the short but murderous meeting.

*

The whole group stood silently for a long time in the middle of the square in front of the headquarters, no one could say a word. Diệp Sương clenched her hands into fists, her whole body shaking with anger and vague fear for the people she loved back home.

"He just threatened outright, right in front of the General," Chúc Nghi Lam said, her voice still shaking. "A person who dares to do that must be confident that he is above the law."

"Or he's panicking, and his panic makes him vulnerable," Tất Bá Kỳ commented, his eyes sharp. "A truly confident person would not need to make such an obvious threat at the first meeting."

*

Cố Bạt Nguyên pondered for a moment, then turned to the group, his voice decisive. "I will have people guard more carefully around the mansion tonight, and immediately send a news team in the direction of Tùng Lĩnh Village as a precaution. But we don't have five days to wait for an interrogation that could just be an excuse for him to clean up all traces."

Diệp Sương looked up, her eyes shining with unprecedented cold determination. "Then we won't wait," she said. "I hope you know the way to the archives. Tonight, we will find the truth ourselves, before he can erase it."

*

Returning to the mansion, the whole group gathered around the wooden table in the living room, flickering candlelight illuminating the tense faces. Miên Trà and Du Khinh, hearing the whole incident, could not hide their indignation.

"He dares to threaten even the people in Tùng Lĩnh Village," Du Khinh growled, clenching his fists. "If you need a quick retreat tonight, Miên Trà and I will take care of it, no need to discuss further."

"I will go too," Tất Bá Kỳ added, checking a small torch and a few protective talismans he had brought with him from the Tiêu Sa Pass. "The more people familiar with the defensive terrain the better, in case things change."

*

Chúc Nghi Lam spread out a simple diagram that she drew from memory, pointing to each hallway, each door, each guard position that changed according to the time she clearly remembered. "The east tunnel has a side entrance, for document transporters, that is less guarded because everyone thinks there's nothing worth stealing that way," she said. "But that's why, I think, the most important files are hidden nearby, where few people expect them." Diệp Sương nodded, remembering every detail, her hand unconsciously touching the old inkstone in her pocket, as if looking for a familiar fulcrum in the middle of the night before an uncertain journey.

"Tonight," he said, his voice firm, "we will learn the whole truth, or pay the price for daring to confront a man above the law head-on."

The setting sun dyed the sky red behind general office Khâm Vân Ti, like a harbinger of what was about to happen in the darkness tonight, when the line between justice and law, between recklessness and necessity, was about to be completely erased.