Zhou Ziyun's approach to Black Rock City was completely different from Lin Qingcheng's efforts in Moonlight City. Zhou Ziyun did not hesitate to use Chen Wentian's authority to directly take control of all offices of power and kick the nobles to the side. This worked partly because of the warti nature of the province as well as the fact that the city was simply an ant compared to the entirety of Bright Moon Kingdom.
Black Rock City's change in power also ant there were gaps in the social structure which caused a certain level of chaos. This and the increase in population led to the cri and punishnt departnt being overwheld with cases and backlogs.
Zhou Lai explained everything in detail as he led Wu Qianyu toward the departnt headquarters. When they arrived, they were t with a curious sight. There was a crowd of citizens gathered around a platform where tens of guards stood, carrying large wooden poles taller than themselves. One of the guards led an emaciated young man up to the stage.
That person had committed murder and this was a public execution. The sentence was to be beaten until death. The crowd was excited and clamoring for blood. There was no rcy for murderers and they were eager to see a good show.
The execution soon started and the guards took turns slamming the heavy poles on the man who was tied face down on a stone table. Wu Qianyu was no stranger to human tragedy and she should not have found interest in such sights but she found this scene strangely fascinating. Screams of pain and despair filled the street as the guards first drew blood, then crushed bone, and finally completed the punishnt.
Even after the bloody body was dragged off the platform and the crowd had dispersed, Wu Qianyu stilled remained. The energy of the man's pain in his last monts was strangely powerful and it still remained in the air all around her. Her acute sensitivity to pain was acting like a lodestone, resonating with that pain.
Zhou Lai stood beside her in complete confusion until she finally opened her eyes. "Mistress Wu, are you okay?"
"I'm fine. Let's continue."
Zhou Lai wasn't convinced but it wasn't his place to question her. He led her into the cri and punishnt headquarters, a stern building carved into the side of a small cliff. Inside contained the offices and housing for the guards as well as dungeons, now overcrowded with prisoners. The male guards looked at them curiously, their eyes helplessly drawn towards the sword wielding beauty that seed out of place in such a dirty and dingy building.
The head guard was an elderly man and a local citizen nad San Huming. He explained the situation briefly before bringing out a huge stack of case doc.u.nts, more detailed versions of the reports sent to Zhou Ziyun. There were over a hundred capital cris, many hundreds of serious cris and thousands upon thousands of minor cris. It was simply too much for the guards to handle. The backlog for just capital cri was over a month and the backlogs for the others were even greater.
"Mistress Wu, Elder Zhou, we simply are overwheld. We requested additional guards and an increase to the prison size but we still have not gotten anything." San Huming said. "It's a vicious cycle. Not having law and order ans criminals beco bolder and more cris are committed!"
"Mistress Wu! While the head guard's words are true, the Zhou Clan has also agreed to his requests. It's simply a matter of ti. Other projects are taking priority right now." Zhou Lai countered. "I know it's difficult but you simply have to do more with less!"
"That's what you said a month ago!" San Huming exclaid.
The two n argued back and forth while Wu Qianyu stood by and listened. She grasped their differing positions and they both were not wrong. It was indeed a difficult problem which would cause more issues for the city in the future. At the sa ti, money did not grow on trees and suitable and talented people did not magically pop out of the ground.
Wu Qianyu still wanted to help even if she could only lighten their work a little.
San Huming readily agreed and pulled out a case file. "This particular criminal nad Nan Wankang is accused of extortion and **** by seven different won. He is a very strong loose cultivator at the 6th Level of the Spirit Initiate Realm. We are currently trying to get a confession out of him. Strong cultivators are difficult as they are even stronger than the guards. We have to commit a lot of n to make sure he doesn't escape or hurt us. We could really use your power here."
"Okay, that should be fine. Zhou Lai, you can return." Wu Qianyu said confidently.
Zhou Lai bowed and left.
San Huming then led Wu Qianyu through the building to a stone interrogation room. There was an open window and they could see a mob of at least ten guards taking turns whipping and beating a prisoner.
The scruffy looking Nan Wankang was tied up securely to two stone pillars with steel chains. His n.a.k.e.d torso had many red welts but he was still energetic and defiant.
"I'm innocent! F.u.c.k your mother. I'm innocent!" He yelled out after each strike.
Wu Qianyu looked at San Huming questioningly. "Is he actually guilty or innocent?"
"Mistress Wu, in matters of cri and punishnt, unless you yourself witness the cri, there is always two sides to the story. However, the story here is one man's word against the combined grief and suffering of seven won and their families. We are sure he is guilty and we only need his confession to proceed with execution." He explained.
Wu Qianyu was not a nave little girl. She understood the cruelty of the world and of human nature. San Huming's words made sense and she agreed with his thods.
"Since the guards aren't strong enough, I will do it." She said.
The guards were ordered to leave. Wu Qianyu went into the room while San Huming stayed outside to observe.
Inside the room, there was a table with an array of rods, paddles, and wh.i.p.s of different sizes. She felt a thrill course through her as she realized that those instrunts were very similar to the ones Chen Wentian used on her. She eagerly picked up a heavy tal paddle and stroked the smooth flat surface.
Nan Wankang finally noticed Wu Qianyu and burst into laughter. "Are you my reward for being innocent and falsely imprisoned?" He eyed her s.e.xy body without regard. "You're just my type of woman, hahaha!"
Wu Qianyu did not dignify him with a response. Instead, she swiftly brought the paddle down on his back.
Slap!
"Aaaarrrgg!" Nan Wankang scread for real.
The force of the strike was nothing like before. It was like his entire skin had shattered into a thousand pieces. He panted and groaned in pain; his mind completely shocked by the power the woman wielded.
"Who who are you?" He cried out.
"Do you confess to your cris of raping seven won and extorting their families?" Wu Qianyu asked placidly.
"N no I'm innocent."
Nan Wankang had lost his prior arrogance but he was still stubborn. Wu Qianyu didn't hesitate to give another strike, this ti on the side of his right leg.
Bam!
"Kyyaaaaaaahhh!"
Nan Wanking's leg gave way. The skin was broken and bleeding in multiple places.
"No" He muttered weakly.
Bam!
Another bloody scream and the other leg collapsed. He was now held up only by his arms, dangling from the chains around his wrists. He panted heavily; crying and m.o.a.ning. The strikes were filled with spiritual energy and they directly shattered his defenses, sending shockwaves of agony through his body.
With this crazy woman here, there was no escape. There was no chance to escape his punishnt After a few more strikes his body was broken, the pain beca simply unbearable, and his will finally shattered.
"S stop cough, please" He begged softly, "I I confess."
San Huming imdiately entered the room with the guards. They hauled the battered prisoner away while San Huming thanked Wu Qianyu over and over again.
Wu Qianyu, on the other hand, was quite shocked by her actions. She remained in the empty interrogation room for a long ti, trying to figure out what had happened. The room was still filled with painful energy which was reverberating around the walls and through her own body. She was stunned and her mind was in turmoil. She knew this experience had fundantally changed her but she was still unsure what that change was.
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