Chapter 328: Void Emperor’s Brother-in-Law

As the sun set in the west, the dim golden afterglow cast long shadows over the Taste of Freshness Inn. Encircling the inn was a group of demon soldiers clad in black armor, standing like iron towers, sealing off the area into an impenetrable “iron cage.”

These demon soldiers belonged to the Judgment Office of Eternal Slumber City—an institution that functioned much like a county magistrate’s office in the mortal realm.

Since a murder had occurred within the inn, the Judgment Office naturally dispatched its forces to surround the area, preventing any culprits from escaping.

By now, an hour and a half had passed since the crime was discovered and the inn was sealed off.

Many diners who had been trapped inside had already been questioned and released.

The only ones left inside the inn were two tables of demon witnesses, the inn’s staff, and Gu Ning’an and Doubao.

In the main hall of the inn, the tables and chairs had been pushed aside, with a few rearranged to form a makeshift courtroom.

As the last guest to be interrogated, Gu Ning’an was finally called to sit in front of this temporary court.

Seated opposite him was none other than Magistrate Wei of the Judgment Office!

Magistrate Wei was over nine feet tall, with a refined and scholarly appearance in his transformed state.

He wore a black and purple official robe embroidered with a giant eagle on the chest, two massive pythons coiling around his sleeves, and landscapes stitched along the hems.

Overall, his attire appeared disorderly—almost as if he had borrowed various design elements from different official garments and patched them together.

Once Gu Ning’an sat down, Magistrate Wei theatrically slammed his palm on the table and sternly commanded, “State your name!”

“Gu Ning’an.”

“I see that you are a mere mortal. What brings you to Eternal Slumber City?”

“I’m here to visit the Void Emperor.”

“Oh?” Magistrate Wei raised an intrigued brow and asked, “Are you an official of Great Wu or a wealthy merchant?”

“Neither.”

Hearing this answer, Magistrate Wei twitched the corner of his mouth. “So, you’re waiting for the Void Emperor Temple to open in four days for your visit?”

Gu Ning’an nodded. “Precisely.”

So, just another worshipper…

Losing interest immediately, Magistrate Wei continued questioning Gu Ning’an with a series of meaningless inquiries.

Such as—what was he doing when the incident occurred, what kind of tea he was drinking, and whether the tea was bitter or sweet.

It was evident that he was merely going through the motions, as in his view, Gu Ning’an was not a suspect.

First, a mortal without cultivation had no means of poisoning a demon.

Second, he doubted that Gu Ning’an had the skill to secretly assassinate two demon cultivators without anyone noticing.

As for Doubao, a mere Blaze Bug, it was nothing more than a disposable pet—not even worth questioning.

In fact, had the next batch of key suspects not been ordinary humans, Gu Ning’an probably wouldn’t have been questioned at all…

“Guards!”

“Bring in the key suspect—the little waiter boy!”

As soon as Magistrate Wei finished speaking, two demon soldiers escorted a young inn servant forward, forcing him to kneel before the court.

“You insolent rogue!”

“Do you have any idea what a grave crime it is to poison a demon cultivator in Eternal Slumber City?”

Unlike with Gu Ning’an, Magistrate Wei showed no courtesy to the young servant. He didn’t even ask for his name—just went straight to intimidation.

Hearing this, the servant boy hurriedly replied, “Lord Wei, I swear I did not poison those two demon cultivators!”

“Nonsense!”

Magistrate Wei slammed the table again and shouted, “They must have humiliated you, and you held a grudge! That’s why you procured poison to kill them!”

“Of all people, you had the strongest motive! If it wasn’t you, then who else?!”

Faced with such unreasonable questioning, the young servant boy found himself unable to argue and could only repeat, “It wasn’t me, it wasn’t me.”

“Still dare to deny it?” Magistrate Wei scolded sharply before demanding, “Where are the witnesses?”

With a rustling sound, the demon cultivators who had been dining with the deceased all stood up.

“You all tell me—who is the most suspicious? Isn’t it this little servant?”

As soon as Magistrate Wei finished speaking, the so-called “witnesses” each began recounting their observations one by one.

Their statements all emphasized the young boy’s “motive for killing the demon,” mentioning things like the sneer he gave when humiliated, the murderous intent in his gaze, and his furrowed brow…

“A mere mortal scraping by in Demon City—not only does he fail to be grateful to the demons who allow him to live here!”

“He even dared to bare his teeth at his superiors!”

“Unforgivable!”

At this, Magistrate Wei waved his hand and knocked over the chopstick holder on the table, sending the chopsticks clattering to the ground.

“Put him to torture!”

“The moment he confesses, we’ll stop!”

At these words, Innkeeper Hua, who had been watching from the side, suddenly turned cold.

Magistrate Wei’s order was practically a death sentence for the young waiter!

The crime of poisoning a demon cultivator was an undeniable capital offense for a mere mortal.

If he confessed, he would die immediately.

If he refused, the relentless torture would only prolong his suffering for a few more hours at most!

“Lord Wei, please wait!”

“I, Huang Erniang, have something to say!”

Innkeeper Hua stepped forward and positioned herself in front of the young waiter, speaking respectfully.

Seeing her courtesy, Magistrate Wei—who was known for his soft spot for women—did not take offense at her interruption. Instead, he simply responded indifferently, “Innkeeper Hua, speak.”

“Thank you, my lord.” Innkeeper Hua bowed slightly before continuing:

“This little servant is timid by nature. Even when those two demon cultivators humiliated him one after another, he only furrowed his brow slightly.”

“How could someone like that have the audacity to commit such a reckless act, knowing full well it would be a capital offense?”

“Furthermore, he is just an ordinary mortal. He has spent years working in my inn, never stepping foot beyond its doors. There is no way he could have obtained a poison potent enough to instantly kill two demon cultivators.”

“Lastly, while my Taste of Freshness Inn has always had decent business, today’s sudden surge of customers is highly unusual. Among them, many are subordinates of Mi Youfu.”

“My lord is wise and well-informed—you must know that Mi Youfu and I have long been at odds. He has coveted my inn for some time. I suspect today’s incident was deliberately orchestrated to drag me down, giving him an excuse to seize the establishment I have worked so hard to build!”

“Lord Wei, you are renowned for your wisdom and unparalleled judgment. I am certain you will uncover the truth and clear this boy’s name—restoring justice to my Taste of Freshness Inn!”

Innkeeper Hua was well aware of Magistrate Wei’s temperament. He loved receiving flattery, especially when it was delivered naturally and at just the right moment—it always put him in a good mood.

Magistrate Wei cleared his throat, the corners of his mouth lifting uncontrollably. “Innkeeper Hua, you flatter me! I am merely following my brother-in-law’s example, upholding his will and governing Eternal Slumber City as best as I can. If anyone deserves to be called wise and unparalleled, it is him, not me—I’m not even a tenth as capable as he is.”

Hearing this, Gu Ning’an, who had been listening nearby, leaned over and whispered, “Doubao, do you know who Magistrate Wei’s brother-in-law is?”

At these words, Doubao glanced around, making sure no one was too close, before fluttering onto Gu Ning’an’s shoulder and whispering back, “His brother-in-law is the Void Emperor…”