Chapter 264: Turn His Own Methods Back on Him

"We wouldn't dare delay the larger matter. We're the incompetent ones!" Shopkeeper Pan mocked himself, then cupped his hands. "May I ask whether Master Dao has some brilliant method that can make them talk quickly?"

The others looked toward Niu Youdao as well. They all understood the purpose behind Shopkeeper Pan's self-mockery. He was indirectly saying that Niu Youdao was standing there talking because it cost him nothing.

Shopkeeper Pan's senior brother gave him a perfunctory rebuke. "Junior Brother, don't be rude!"

After all, their sect had instructed them to cooperate with Niu Youdao. Even so, Niu Youdao's words genuinely grated on the people from all three sects. What did he mean, did the three sects have no capable people?

Anger appeared on Black Peony's face. She stepped forward from behind Niu Youdao, ready to rebuke them, but Niu Youdao raised a hand and stopped her. He could not be bothered arguing over such things, and this was no time for internal conflict. The problem needed solving. Whatever the facts were, they should discuss the facts.

"Shopkeeper Pan, are you certain you've exhausted every method?" he asked.

Shopkeeper Pan said, "At least every method we can currently use."

"Fine. Then I'll remind you of one method. Go try it."

Shopkeeper Pan cupped his hands again. "I'm listening."

Niu Youdao waved him over and led him away from the others. Only after they entered an empty room did Niu Youdao turn to face him and speak one word at a time.

"Turn his own methods back on him!"

Shopkeeper Pan stared blankly.

He had no idea how this so-called "turn his own methods back on him" was supposed to apply to interrogation. Puzzled, he said, "I'm slow-witted. Please explain, Master Dao!"

Niu Youdao gestured for him to bring his ear closer, then murmured a few sentences into it. Shopkeeper Pan's eyes brightened as he listened.

Then hesitation appeared. "That... if a fight breaks out, we won't be able to explain it to Boundless Pavilion. But if we don't make it look convincing enough, no one will believe it."

Niu Youdao said, "If you can't fight, then don't fight..."

He leaned over and whispered a few more instructions.

"I understand. But on such short notice, our disguise techniques can't produce something convincing enough to pass for the real person."

"Shopkeeper Pan, I've already given you the direction. A living man isn't going to let himself die because he can't find somewhere to piss. If you can't make the disguise perfect, then change the method. Adjust the approach. You can still accomplish the same thing..."

After listening to the full explanation, Shopkeeper Pan repeatedly nodded. Some embarrassment appeared on his face. "I understand. I'll arrange it immediately and give it a try!"

Niu Youdao warned him, "To prevent accidents, arrange this secretly. Don't let word leak for now. Also, contact Fuyun Sect's shop. Tell them to use the same method and carry it out secretly. Have both sides act at the same time. Hopefully one of the prisoners will open his mouth."

"Yes. Master Dao, rest assured. I'll arrange it immediately." Shopkeeper Pan cupped his hands.

His attitude had clearly changed. He seemed considerably more convinced now...

Inside the detention room, the false "Shopkeeper Pan" was wrapped in iron shackles and bound to a pillar. His face was deathly pale, his gaze unfocused. No one knew what he was thinking.

Two Liuxian Sect disciples guarded him around the clock. From time to time they chatted with him and tried to persuade him. That too was part of the task handed down from above.

Up to now, no one even knew the false "Shopkeeper Pan's" real name. Nor could they take him around asking questions the way they could with the tall man's severed head.

"I'm telling you, why keep holding out like this? Our shopkeeper already guaranteed that if you confess, he'll leave you a road to live."

"Exactly. You're only making things harder for yourself. Do you have a wife and children? Even if you won't think for your own sake, shouldn't you think a little more about your family?"

"Why suffer like this? You stay here refusing to talk—do you think anyone outside will remember your loyalty?"

"You're locked up here. You know yourself that there are almost no people beneath Heaven who would dare use force to rescue you from Boundless Pavilion. Are you really willing to stay like this forever?"

No matter what they said, the false "Shopkeeper Pan" gave no response at all.

A knock sounded outside the door.

One guard went to open it, then smiled and opened the door wider. "Junior Brother Zhao, bringing food again?"

The plain-looking Junior Brother Zhao entered carrying a food box.

The other guard laughed. "Junior Brother Zhao, you're wasting your effort. He may not appreciate it."

Junior Brother Zhao stared at the prisoner bound to the pillar for a moment before saying unhurriedly, "Doesn't matter whether he appreciates it. He can't die in our hands. If he won't eat, force-feed him. Those are Martial Uncle Pan's instructions."

One of the guards sighed. "All right. Got it."

Junior Brother Zhao set the food box in front of the prisoner, then turned to leave.

As he reached the door, he added, "Feed him as soon as possible."

"All right, all right, we know. Stop nagging." One disciple waved him away.

Junior Brother Zhao closed the door and left.

One of the guards crouched beside the food box and slowly opened it. He looked inside and gave an appreciative sound. "Not bad food."

He looked up at the false "Shopkeeper Pan." "Look at how well we treat you. Good food, good drink, and we even have to wait on you."

The prisoner lowered his eyes toward the food but still said nothing. Just as the disciple crouched there taking the dishes out of the box, another knock sounded outside. The second guard went to open the door.

Another fellow disciple stood there carrying a food box. He was let inside, while the guard laughed. "Troubling Junior Brother Gong to personally bring our meal?"

Junior Brother Gong snorted. "Senior Brother, this is for the prisoner. If you two want to eat, someone will naturally come relieve you later."

The false "Shopkeeper Pan," still tied to the pillar, raised his eyes toward him.

The two guards looked at each other, both somewhat confused.

The disciple crouching in front of the prisoner and taking food from the first box turned his head. "Junior Brother Gong, Junior Brother Zhao just brought food for the prisoner. Why are you bringing another portion?" He pointed toward the box in front of him.

Junior Brother Gong looked startled. "Senior Brother Zhao went out early this morning on business. He told me to bring the prisoner's meal for him."

The two guards looked at each other again.

The one by the door said in confusion, "This was just delivered by Junior Brother Zhao."

Junior Brother Gong scratched the back of his head. "Senior Brother Zhao really... He came back and didn't even say anything. Fine. You two keep busy."

Shaking his head, he picked up his food box and left. The detention-room door closed.

One guard held a bowl in one hand and a spoon in the other. He scooped up some rice and said to the false "Shopkeeper Pan," "You're flesh and blood too. You can't escape ordinary needs. Why make life hard on yourself? Eat something."

The false "Shopkeeper Pan" kept his lips tightly shut.

His eyes, however, were fixed on the food in the disciple's hands. His chest rose and fell with faintly abnormal force.

The disciple holding the bowl snorted. "Fine. We know your mouth is hard. Senior Brother, come give me a hand. Pry his mouth open."

The other man stepped over and reached out.

Unexpectedly, the false "Shopkeeper Pan" suddenly turned his head aside and refused to cooperate.

This time, however, he spoke.

"That food can't be eaten!"

The senior brother trying to help ignored him and forced his face back around.

The false "Shopkeeper Pan" seemed to panic and shouted, "It's poisoned!"

The disciple holding the bowl sighed. "You're the honored ancestor now. We have to wait on you hand and foot. How would we dare poison you to death? We'd love nothing more than for you to live well and tell us everything you know. We don't dare kill you."

"Relax. We inspect everything you eat before it reaches you. Senior Brother, open his mouth. Pour it in!"

The senior brother grabbed the prisoner's jaw and forced his mouth open.

The false "Shopkeeper Pan" growled furiously through the grip, the words indistinct. "I'll talk! I'll talk!"

The two guards froze.

The senior brother released him and asked, "What did you say just now? I didn't hear clearly. Say it again."

The false "Shopkeeper Pan" fired the words out rapidly. "Didn't you think what just happened was suspicious? That Junior Brother Zhao of yours clearly isn't here. So how could he come deliver food?"

The senior brother glared. "You're playing games with me?"

"The 'Junior Brother Zhao' who came in earlier was an impostor! It wasn't your junior brother. He came to silence me. If you don't believe me, inspect the food again."

The junior brother holding the bowl sighed. "Even if you don't want to eat, there's no need to make this much trouble. He's our own junior brother. You think we wouldn't recognize him? Senior Brother, stop wasting words on him. This fellow has too many problems. Pry his mouth open and pour it in."

The senior brother had just started to reach out when the false "Shopkeeper Pan" urgently said, "If I could impersonate your shopkeeper, then naturally someone else can impersonate your junior brother. When I pretended to be your shopkeeper, which of you recognized me?"

The words made both guards look at one another.

The false "Shopkeeper Pan" immediately continued, "Inspect the food one more time. If there's nothing wrong with it, you won't need to force-feed me. I'll open my mouth and eat it myself. Just test it again!"

Both guards stared down at the bowl. They looked at each other, silently exchanging a glance. The senior brother took a small porcelain bottle from inside his robe and removed the stopper. The junior brother held the bowl out. A small amount of white powder fell into the food. The junior brother stirred it with the spoon. The food rapidly changed color, turning black as ink. Both men stared in shock. Then they slowly looked up at each other, expressions filled with alarm.

The junior brother said heavily, "Senior Brother, stay alert. I'll report this to Martial Uncle Pan!"

He quickly put the bowl down and rushed out.

The senior brother immediately removed two moon wheels from behind his waist and positioned himself in front of the false "Shopkeeper Pan," guarding him while staring vigilantly at the detention-room door.

The false "Shopkeeper Pan" lowered his eyes toward the bowl of food, black as ink, on the ground.

His face was full of grief and fury. If he had not reacted quickly just now, if he had not thought of a way out in that instant, those two idiots might already have forced the stuff down his throat. What would have happened afterward was not difficult to imagine. A rapid series of footsteps soon sounded outside.

At the same time came Shopkeeper Pan's voice.

"Check whether the man is still inside the shop. Search every corner. Don't miss a single place!"

The door opened. A group of people rushed inside, all staring at the bowl of pitch-black food on the ground. Shopkeeper Pan picked it up and held it beneath his nose to smell it. His face turned completely grim.

He turned toward the others and pointed. "You, you, you, and you. The four of you stay here and guard him. From now on, every single thing brought in for him to eat or drink must be inspected again!"

Then he led the rest back outside. His furious voice could still be heard from beyond the door.

"From this moment onward, every disciple of our sect, no matter who it is—including me—must undergo strict inspection whenever entering or leaving the rear hall!"

"Yes!" a group of voices answered.

The atmosphere seemed to become tense in an instant.

Bound to the pillar, the false "Shopkeeper Pan's" cheeks trembled.

He lifted his head and closed his eyes, grief and fury written across his face... By dusk, Shopkeeper Pan and the others finally emerged from the detention room again.

Once they reached the rear hall, the senior and junior brothers looked at one another and all released long breaths of relief.

The false "Shopkeeper Pan" had finally yielded.

He had finally confessed!

"Senior Brother, I finally understand why Niu Youdao was put in charge of this affair. I also understand why the sect ordered us to cooperate with him. This man really does have some ability." Shopkeeper Pan sighed with genuine admiration.

His senior brother asked, "That was his method?"

Shopkeeper Pan cupped his hands apologetically. "It wasn't that I wanted to hide it from Senior Brother. Niu Youdao specifically ordered beforehand that it be kept secret. The sect also told us that as long as he wasn't acting recklessly, we were to follow his instructions!"

[End of Chapter 264]