Chapter 650

Chapter 650: Caught Fish

Finally out!

The blazing sun shone on Wang Chen’s face, making him instinctively squint.

Not far ahead stood the Yongle Immortal City atop the back of the dragon tortoise!

In fact, from the time the incident occurred in the dungeon to his escape, less than a day had passed, but Wang Chen felt as though he had experienced a cycle of life and death.

Earlier, he truly feared he might die trapped underground!

Fortunately, the damage inside the dungeon was not too severe, and reopening the blocked tunnel was still within his capabilities.

Especially after joining a self-rescue team, a group of Purple Palace-level guards took turns assisting. Despite some arguments and minor conflicts along the way, the outcome was still positive.

Most importantly, during this chaos, most of their territory remained unscathed.

At least there were no escaped prisoners in District J.

Otherwise, the situation would have been even worse.

Since all the teleportation arrays were out of commission, everyone escaped to the surface through tunnels.

Once outside, some were delighted, some laughed heartily, some felt a sense of relief, and others had mixed feelings.

Wang Chen understood clearly that this was just the beginning!

At that moment, a flying ship tore through the air and landed in the open space nearby.

The emblem of the Forbidden Prison Office was prominently displayed on the ship’s body surface.

Just as Wang Chen had suspected, he and all the escaping guards were first taken into Yongle Immortal City, where they were then placed under unified supervision within the Forbidden Prison Office’s territory.

The treatment was nearly the same as that of prisoners!

However, no one complained about it, as everyone understood their own situation very well.

If the guards made a mistake, the Forbidden Prison Office would not show any leniency, and would instead be even stricter.

At this time, protesting and causing a ruckus would not help at all; it would only lead to more and greater trouble.

So everyone wisely remained silent and cooperated with the investigations from above.

It was easy to deduce that with such a significant incident at Yongle dungeon, the Forbidden Prison Office would certainly bear responsibility. If they didn’t produce a few scapegoats, it would be an overestimation of their integrity.

Wang Chen stayed in the Forbidden Prison Office for three days.

Without food or drink, he huddled with many others, and the number of guards brought in behind him kept increasing.

Fortunately, his Xumi Ring and storage bag had not been confiscated, so everyone retained their belongings, and the situation was not too dire.

Batch after batch of guards were taken out for questioning.

Once they left, they never returned.

Without a doubt, the entire Forbidden Prison Office system was about to go through a major cleansing.

During the "stay in custody," Wang Chen heard many rumors, both true and false.

It was first confirmed that Yongle dungeon had faced a powerful attack from enemies, with reports of two Nascent Soul true immortals being involved.

As for more detailed information, that was beyond the knowledge of ordinary guards.

This reminded Wang Chen of the time he sought out Old Demon Han’s Yuan Ying from the Hehuan Sect, and a dull ache spread through his body.

When women become capricious, they truly have the power to bring chaos to the world!

However, Wang Chen found it hard to believe that two Nascent Soul true immortals would stir up such a massive commotion just to rescue a demon cultivator who had willingly entered prison. He sensed that there was something far more intricate at play.

Additionally, there were reports of prisoners escaping, but they were swiftly recaptured, and some were even killed.

No one could provide a clear explanation of the details.

One group after another was taken away, and soon it was Wang Chen’s turn.

Wang Chen found himself in a hidden chamber, undergoing an Inquiry by two supervising officers from the Forbidden Prison Office.

Their demeanor was relatively amiable, and their questioning felt more like a casual chat than a rigorous interrogation.

Wang Chen noticed a small statue on the table before them—a beast that resembled neither a dragon nor a tiger.

He recognized it as a statue of the mythical Xuanlong.

Legend had it that the Xuanlong possessed ninety-nine spiritual apertures, was innately wise, and could discern truth from falsehood, detecting lies and empty boasts with ease.

Wang Chen surmised that this Xuanlong statue was a special magical artifact designed to determine whether the person being questioned was telling the truth!

This realization sharpened Wang Chen’s vigilance.

As a result, throughout the conversation, he carefully weighed every word, choosing to speak the truth but not the whole truth, only discussing matters that did not touch upon his own secrets.

“I, as the Lesser Steward, swear…”

Wang Chen declared in a deep voice, “The Lesser Steward has no involvement in this matter. If I lie, may the heavens strike me with five thunderbolts, and may I meet a wretched end!”

What he said was indeed true.

But Wang Chen would never reveal to them that he had seen Old Demon Han flee with the girls.

The two supervising officers exchanged glances.

Such a vow typically carried karmic consequences; the only question was how severe they would be.

Wang Chen’s resolute tone, tinged with a hint of indignation at being wronged, made both officers feel that summoning him for questioning had been entirely unnecessary.

What Wang Chen shared aligned closely with the findings of their investigation!

“You’ll remain here for the next few days,” one supervising officer said, closing the file and addressing Wang Chen. “We’ll reassign your duties once the investigation is concluded.”

What more could Wang Chen say?

He could only nod in compliance with the orders from above.

After waiting for three more days, Wang Chen finally received a directive concerning his fate.

He was to be dispatched to guard the sinister cavern!

The sinister cavern was an exceptionally peculiar place within Yongle dungeon, housing the most vicious monsters and Demon Lords. It was also a breeding ground for Evil Spirits.

Due to the harsh conditions, very few guards volunteered to be stationed there!

Who would willingly leap into a pit of filth?

Wang Chen understood all too well that he was like a small fish in a moat, swimming peacefully, only to have a fire from a nearby house burn him!

He had no connections or influence in Yongle Immortal City, his origins were humble, and his age made him an easy target.

As for the reason behind his assignment, it was simple.

Who else but Wang Chen, who had been so close to that old man, would be the one to suffer misfortune?

After the Inquiry, Wang Chen finally regained his freedom and could roam the city, shopping and enjoying himself!

But the Forbidden Prison Office had only granted him two days of liberty!

Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, the two days had passed. Wang Chen received a notification and was escorted back to District J.

However, he did not return to District J9. Instead, he was led through another tunnel, descending deeper underground.

Until they reached the Evil Abyss!

Awaiting them was a burly man, at the peak of the Purple Palace cultivation level, just one step away from forming his Golden Core.

“Are you Wang Chen?”

The burly man, named Changsun Yong, flipped through Wang Chen’s file and asked, “What crime brought you here?”

Wang Chen chuckled bitterly, “I committed no crime. It was simply bad luck.”

“Everyone who comes here claims they’re innocent.”

Changsun Yong smirked, then pulled out a badge and handed it to Wang Chen. “This is your identity badge. From now on, work hard here, and one day you’ll achieve your desires!”

Wang Chen could only feel a sense of helplessness.

The way the other spoke was far too reminiscent of someone trying to placate a child!