“Really? You have a plan?” Su Mei was delighted.

Han Lie nodded slightly, exuding an inexplicable calm. “Don’t worry. Barring any unforeseen accidents, This Senior will be fine.”

“Mhm, mhm! You’d better not get into trouble. Otherwise, who will Senior Sister Zhuo Hongyi and I find for Dual Cultivation in the future?” At this point, Su Mei realized that aside from placing her faith in Han Lie, there was little else she could do to help.

The next day.

Tieshou finally arrived. He pulled a chair over and sat down directly across from Han Lie, staring him down without blinking. Han Lie met that gaze steadily, showing not a trace of guilt or fear.

Suddenly—Smack!

Tieshou’s fist, as large as a clay pot, slammed onto the table. The wood was instantly reduced to fine powder.

“You old Servant Disciple, you’ve seen the instruments in this room. If you don’t want to suffer, you’d better confess everything to me honestly,” Tieshou growled, immediately attempting to break Han Lie’s spirit.

However, Han Lie remained unmoved. He hadn’t grown up to be easily rattled; mere threats couldn’t puncture his psychological defenses. He simply nodded obediently and said, “Understood, Captain Tieshou. Ask away. This Senior will answer truthfully.”

Seeing that Han Lie was being sensible, Tieshou softened his tone slightly. “I ask you: what were you doing with those two female disciples from the Overlord Hall, Caizhen and Yunxia, that day? Do you even know them?”

“This is how it happened…” Han Lie recounted the events in meticulous detail, excluding his true cultivation level. “At the time, that Fairy Caizhen said she wanted This Senior to help her get revenge on some Senior Brother Wang Qiang.”

“This Senior thought: isn’t this clearly a trap? Even if it wasn’t, I certainly can’t afford to provoke this ‘Fellow Daoist Wang.’ Naturally, I refused her.”

“Is that so?” Tieshou narrowed his eyes skeptically. “But the reports state eyewitnesses saw you leave with them. How do you explain that?”

Han Lie put on an aggrieved, miserable expression. “I was unwilling, but they forcibly abducted me! Captain Tieshou, This Senior is old and my cultivation is weak. How could I possibly be a match for Fairies Caizhen and Yunxia? I only managed to escape their clutches later when they were momentarily distracted.”

“Besides, with my mere mid-Foundation Establishment Stage cultivation, how could I have killed two fairies—one at the early Core Formation Stage and the other at the peak of the Foundation Establishment Stage?”

“Captain Tieshou, This Senior is the victim here. Someone must be slandering me. You must uphold justice for me.”

As he spoke, Han Lie stealthily slid a storage ring across the remains of the table. Tieshou swept it up and probed it with his divine sense. He was astonished to find it packed with ten thousand Spirit Stones.

“Ahem!” Tieshou discreetly and swiftly pocketed the ring. He furrowed his brows, feigning a difficult position. “But this is just your side of the story. If no one can testify for you, it’s hard for me to simply take your word for it.”

Hearing this, Han Lie produced another ten thousand Spirit Stones, wearing a look of deep wrong. “Indeed, no one can testify for me. But my mid-Foundation Establishment Stage cultivation cannot be faked, right? To accuse This Senior of killing those two…”

“Isn’t that as absurd as saying an ant killed an elephant?” Han Lie leaned in slightly. “Captain Tieshou, I believe that someone as wise and astute as you would never fall for such a ridiculous claim.”

Accepting the second bribe, Tieshou’s expression underwent a subtle transformation. He chuckled. “You old Servant Disciple have good judgment. I wouldn’t be the captain of the Xuanwu Squad without real capability.”

“What you say makes sense. The idea is indeed absurd. But…” Tieshou’s tone shifted again. “I might believe you, but the Overlord Hall Master might not.”

Han Lie understood the hint immediately. He handed over another ten thousand Spirit Stones, looking utterly pitiful. “Captain Tieshou, I am just a lowly servant with no influence. I must trouble you to clarify the truth to the Overlord Hall Master. Tell them This Senior was truly wronged!”

“This minor matter surely wouldn’t pose a challenge for the mighty Captain Tieshou.”

“Hmm…” Tieshou rubbed his chin. “Seeing as you’ve been so… cooperative… I suppose I can reluctantly go speak with the Overlord Hall Master on your behalf.”

With thirty thousand Spirit Stones in his pocket, Tieshou was inwardly dancing with joy. Han Lie also breathed a secret sigh of relief. Fortunately, Su Mei had briefed him on Tieshou’s personality; otherwise, he wouldn’t have been able to manipulate the man’s greed so perfectly. As long as the problem could be resolved with money, it wasn’t a problem. Stones could be earned again, but a life could not.

“Captain Tieshou… may I return now?” Han Lie inquired cautiously.

“Ahem…” Tieshou rubbed his thumb and forefinger together.

Han Lie sighed and handed over another three thousand Spirit Stones. Seeing the smaller amount, Tieshou frowned. Han Lie spread his hands helplessly, indicating he was completely tapped out.

“Fine,” Tieshou sighed. Three thousand was three thousand! Having taken a total of thirty-three thousand Spirit Stones, he had to deliver results. For him, it was just a matter of framing the report correctly. To earn such a sum for a few minutes of talking… he had hit the jackpot!

Immediately, Tieshou stood up, his fierce attitude vanishing instantly. He personally helped Han Lie up from the chair and patted him on the shoulder with a playful grin.

“Fellow Daoist Han Lie… after careful consideration, I’ve concluded this was all a misunderstanding. A mid-Foundation Establishment Stage cultivator killing those two? Even a three-year-old wouldn’t believe such nonsense! It’s too ridiculous!”

“You may return. Don’t worry about this matter haunting you; I’ll handle the paperwork.”

Han Lie didn’t miss the chance for some parting flattery. “Thank you! You truly are a wise and mighty Captain who upholds justice! This Senior believed from the very beginning that such an astute man would never wrong an innocent person!”

“Haha!” Tieshou laughed heartily. “Of course! I’ve never handled a single false case in my career! Someone! Escort Fellow Daoist Han Lie out with respect.”

Emerging from the office, Han Lie felt a weight lift from his chest. This Captain Tieshou is alright—when he takes the money, he really gets the job done.

Zhuo Hongyi and Su Mei were already waiting outside. Seeing him safe, they rushed forward, delighted.

“Little old man! Are you alright? Did Senior Brother Tieshou give you any trouble?” They checked him from head to toe, confirming he hadn’t been subjected to any “memory restoration,” before finally relaxing.

“Heh heh… Captain Tieshou is quite decent—impartial and wise. Naturally, he wouldn’t make things difficult for an old Servant Disciple like me.”

“Huh? What are you saying?” Zhuo Hongyi and Su Mei exchanged glances, seeing the same flicker of pure disbelief in each other’s eyes.

“Senior Brother Tieshou is… decent?”