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052 - Waking Up in a Cozy Jail
🕑 Added 2024-07-31 23:14:55 +0000 UTCQin Yun's pounding headache slowly subsided, yet it never disappeared, remaining a dull pain. He opened his eyes, yet his sight was blurry; getting his bearings took him a while. Meanwhile, he tried to remember memories that had ingrained themselves into his mind while he was unconscious, yet most were missing. Only some very distinct scenes remained vivid—and fish. He remembered fish, yet he didn't know what they meant.
"Was that a dream or some other reality?" Qin Yun mused out loud.
“I don’t think denying reality would do you any good.”
This voice jolted him awake. It was deep and masculine, yet he remembered hearing this distinct tone before but could hardly place it.
He sought to rise, yet he heard a clanking sound at his side. Furthermore, he could feel a restraint on his wrist. He turned only to see his hand stuck in a black shackle attached to the wall. Qin Yun frowned and attempted to free himself using his remaining hand, only to find it missing. In fact, his whole arm was gone.
This frightened him, yet only for a moment. After all, it was only a limb, and he was still alive. This was all that mattered. He quickly checked his surroundings, yet he felt puzzled. He figured from the shackle that he should have been imprisoned in a dungeon, yet this seemed to be just another ordinary residence, except for the countless armed individuals watching him. He could feel their barely restrained murderous intent even through the walls where they hid.
Qin Yun took a deep breath and calmed his mind, recovering his usual indifference. Only in times like these was he grateful for his affliction. He then sought the origin of that voice.
“Quite impressive. Few could remain as calm as you are in your situation,” the voice added.
While Qin Yun wasn’t particularly familiar with this individual, he nonetheless recognized him. The man’s facial features were handsome yet ironically unremarkable. They reminded Qin Yun of his own trick to remain inconspicuous. The man had long, silky black hair that he let fall loosely, only holding it backward using a simple crown. Yet Qin Yun felt something odd about it, but he couldn't place that feeling.
“I must admit, I wasn't expecting you to be the first one I saw when I woke up, Mister Son-In-Law," Qin Yun replied.
Indeed, this man was Liao Cheng. He was seated on a simple chair, watching over his prisoner. Qin Yun was sitting against a sturdy wall, where all his limbs were attached to by sturdy chains. He was bare-chested, his wounds still raw from his last fight, yet only the stump of his arm had been bandaged, stopping the hemorrhage.
“So, I would assume this is an interrogation, or are we going straight to torture?" Qin Yun asked. His gaze was as calm as a peaceful lake.
“Oh?” Liao Cheng replied, slightly amused. “I greatly appreciate a man quick on the uptake. After all, I loath wasting time.”
“This is a sentiment we do not share," Qin Yun replied. "Wasting time is what I do best. However, I could be inclined to accommodate you. After all, I do not seem to be in a situation to bargain.”
“Once again, your candour has me in awe. The rumours I have heard about you do not do you justice. You seemed to have been greatly underestimated.”
“Rumours aren't to be trusted, don't you think so, Mister Son-In-Law?" Qin Yun tried to probe at every moment, yet Liao Cheng only returned a blank smile devoid of emotion. "If I am allowed to ask a question, are we in the Sun Clan compound, or are you acting on your own?"
“Of course, the clan sanctioned all this. I wouldn't dare do this without their permission. After all, the city lord was quite interested in the events that occurred."
“In that case, are the restraints necessary?” Qin Yun asked while jingling the shackle and chain attached to his lone arm.
“We both know you aren't that naive, so let's not play any game. You know what we are after. We couldn't find it on you."
“Ahhhh,” Qin Yun sighed. “So it is a robbery, after all. Why can you not just have the decency to come out and say it instead of hiding behind flowery words. Do you enjoy being a hypocrite?"
For the first time, Liao Cheng's mask of indifference faltered, yet only for a moment. Qin Yun seemed to have noticed a hint of disgust hidden beneath, yet he couldn't be sure what triggered it. At the moment, he could only assume it was aimed at the word hypocrite.
“Do not test my patience; where is it?" Liao Cheng asked, yet a slight hint of anger cut through his words.
“Do I look like I am hiding it from you?” Qin Yun said as he showed his body. He had only had a pair of pants on. They had even removed his shoes. If he wanted to hide something, he couldn’t. At least, they didn’t know he could. Still, Qin Yun wouldn’t expose himself unless he absolutely had to. “I’m sure you must have searched me thoroughly. Maybe try elsewhere?”
“Maybe we should. How about this wife of yours? Maybe she knows something?”
Finally, Qin Yun had gotten something out of him. While this could mean they also had their hands on his wife, Qin Yun doubted it. After all, unlike himself, they had no cause to detain her. He was sure Lian Qian would protect her as he owed him one. Still, he knew that was the best Lian Qian could do considering the current situation. Qin Yun could only rely on himself.
“Really? As you said, you hate wasting time. You should have done so while I was out of it. Why haven't you?" Qin Yun said, pressing the matter further before adding, "Don't threaten me with matters you can't accomplish. It's unbecoming, and it insults my intelligence."
Both men stared at each other in silence. The atmosphere grew heavy with each passing moment, yet Qin Yun refused to back down. While he knew antagonizing his captor was ill-advised, he needed to know how far Liao Cheng was willing to go. Only with this information could Qin Yun enact his following plans. However, the silence was only fleeting.
Charming laughter echoed beyond the room's threshold, only growing clearer by the second. Then, a woman as brilliant as the sun entered the room, and Qin Yun recognized her immediately as this man's betrothed. While it didn't surprise Qin Yun to see her here, he hadn't expected to meet her so soon.
“I rarely see someone be your match,” Sun Yu said to Liao Cheng as she rested her hands on his shoulders. “It seemed the Qin Clan do not know what they lost.”
"I'm honoured, Milady." Qin Yun replied, giving his best impression of being civil. "I would get up and bow to you, but I am currently indisposed. I hope you understand."
Sun Yu only addressed his remark with a smile before she took a seat next to Liao Cheng.
“While your attitude is entertaining, it is counterproductive for your situation, don’t you think?” Sun Yu asked, maintaining her smile.
“Why would you say so? I am quite comfortable at the moment. I see no reason to seek some changes,” Qin Yun replied. “Besides, I always wanted an opportunity to speak with you. After all, it isn't every day that one has the opportunity to meet the most beautiful woman in all of Jin City. I must say Mister Son-in-Law is lucky to have you."
Sun Yu seemed surprised for a moment, and then her smile only grew wider. After all, women as vain as her were weak to compliments. Liao Cheng, on the other hand, couldn't help but frown. He couldn't get the upper hand on this prisoner despite the overwhelming superiority of his situation.
“Enough of idle banter,” Liao Cheng spat, surprising Sun Yu. “Where have you hidden it? Where is it?”
“You’ll have to be more specific,” Qin Yun replied calmly. “I have many things people would kill for.”
“The blade!” Liao Cheng said as he rose from his seat. “The black blade you used to split the sky. Where is it?!”
“Ohhh, that. I had almost forgotten about it,” Qin Yun replied, shrugging. “It’s not on me. Have you tried looking in the mud?”
Power seemed to pool into Liao Cheng's fist. Yet, Sun Yu stopped him just before he sought to unleash this power on Qin Yun.
"Don't," she said. "We still have uses for him."
Liao Cheng looked at her, calming himself slightly, before looking back to Qin Yun. He then scoffed before walking out of the room. Sun Yu sat back down, letting out a small sigh.
"My friends tell me he and I are similar," Qin Yun said once it was only the two of them. "Frankly, I don't see it. We couldn't be further apart. Honestly, I admire his drive."
Sun Yu’s slender eyebrows suddenly rose. She looked at Qin Yun with renewed interest.
“Don’t you have goals to strive for?” she asked.
"Are they necessary?" Qin Yun replied as he shrugged. "What if you achieve them? Should you find new ones to fill the void? Why not enjoy what you already have? What good will seeking power achieve except from birthing further tragedy?"
“Didn’t you say you envied him?” Sun Yu asked, slightly puzzled.
“I admire his drive since this is something I lack, yet his thirst for power couldn’t be further from what I want.”
“Then what is it that you want?”
“Something everybody wants. To live with meaning.”
“Quite hard to achieve.”
"Isn't that why it's worth striving for?"
“In other circumstances, you might have been good friends.” Sun Yu lamented.
“I don’t see why we couldn’t be. I do not see him as my enemy,” Qin Yun replied.
“He will not see it that way. After all, you have something he wants.”
"Wasn't it something your father asked you to get? Should you really go behind his back just to help your lover boy?" Qin Yun asked, slightly surprised.
“Let me ask you,” Sun Yu said as she rose from her seat. “If your wife asked you for something, yet it would go against what someone you hold as family wanted from you, would you give it to her?”
Qin Yun remained silent, only looking into her clear golden pupils. He could see no hint of hesitation; her mind had already been made. She would go to hell alongside him if he wanted her to.
“You are beautiful,” Qin Yun said, yet there was no hint of his usual womanizing tendencies. This sentence came straight from his heart. Sun Yu was momentarily surprised, yet her smile only grew more radiant.
"We still have time; you should think about it more. I would hate for something untoward to happen to you," she said.
“So do I,” Qin Yun said as she exited the room.
Now, finally alone, he hatched a plan. It was crude as he didn't have much time to ponder it, yet it would have to do. Qin Yun tugged on his arm, verifying the structural integrity of his binds. As expected, the chains held strong against his strength, and so did the wall it was attached to. Furthermore, this metal had been manufactured to restrict the usage of Qi—not that it would have any effect on Qin Yun.
With a rough plan in mind, Qin Yun concentrated on his hand, feeling the world revolve around it. Then, using his mind, he grabbed space on both sides of his shackle and ground them together, forming a deadly edge that cut straight through it.
His hand was free, yet he felt slightly dizzy. He touched his nose only to find blood dripping from it. Fortunately, it was only a minor inconvenience. He rested momentarily and did the same for the chains around his ankle.
Now free, Qin Yun waited. He expected armed guards to barge straight into this room, yet he was disappointed. It seemed that the surveillance placed upon him was lacking. He assumed that they only checked for the use of Qi and hadn't placed any physical watch over him. Qin Yun could only frown at this lack of vigilance, yet it was understandable. Qin Yun's case was so far removed from normality.
Qin Yun rose to his feet and stretched his muscles. His bones creaked slightly as he moved around; his stiffness felt warranted after all he had gone through. Fortunately, his wounds had greatly healed, yet he felt unbalanced from the loss of his arm. Still, he could worry about all this later.
"Now, if I were the exit, where would I be located?" Qin Yun asked himself.
Comments
fity0208
I would say the opposite The whole incident "confirmed" the theories that he is being watched/protected by his mother's clan What he needs is a big ruckus so everyone knows that the son in law is playing with fire behind the patriarchs back
lenkite
Well, he would need to flee this place along with his wife ASAP. Not sure how he is going to keep that soul-beast girl safe. Hopefully he has preppped contingency measures to exit this city and disappear even from the sight of Soul Formation cultivators.
