Volume One: The Overseer and the Candidate Chapter Eleven: Reading Faces, Unveiling Truths

Faced with the stern interrogation of two aggressive officials, Liu Botao instantly felt his confidence waver, unable to muster even a third of his usual composure. He stammered, uncertain how to respond. It was not merely a matter of being suppressed by their authority—far more troubling was that after an exhaustive search, they had failed to uncover the evidence they sought, leaving him with nothing to offer as an explanation.

The other imperial guards and soldiers proved even more incapable; gone was their earlier arrogance and impudence. One by one, they halted their actions and withdrew timidly.

Witnessing this, the inn's detained guests began to clamor, especially the innkeeper, who cried out loudly for justice: "Sirs, you must uphold fairness for me! They act so wantonly, as if there is no law or order in the land!"

Just then, one person stepped forward to confront the two officials, who were on the verge of losing their temper. In a clear voice, he declared, "Gentlemen, please wait—there may yet be some hidden truth here!"

It was Huang Ming who emerged, his expression and tone entirely calm. Without waiting for any reaction, he continued, "Have you all searched thoroughly, leaving no stone unturned?"

This was directed at the captains and soldiers, who responded only with silence, clearly acquiescing.

Given the gravity of dealing with traitorous members of the White Lotus Sect, who would dare neglect their duty?

"Have you checked all the hidden cellars and secret chambers as well?" Huang Ming pressed further, undaunted.

"We searched two cellars and found nothing. As for secret rooms, we couldn’t discover any," someone replied.

The innkeeper glanced at Huang Ming and quickly protested, "Are you trying to frame me again? There are no secret rooms in this inn!"

"Are you certain? Are there any false walls in the rooms? Have you tapped all the inconspicuous corners in the courtyard? And what about beneath the wells—did anyone go down for a close inspection?"

When Huang Ming spoke this last sentence, the innkeeper's face froze for an instant, and a flicker of panic flashed through his eyes.

Though this change was fleeting and imperceptible to most, it did not escape Huang Ming’s sharp gaze.

Reading expressions, discerning the truth or falsehood in a suspect’s words through subtle changes, was a skill he had honed as a criminal investigator.

Though he had traversed time and his body had changed, years of experience had not left him. He immediately detected the flaw.

Without hesitation, he called out urgently, "Search beneath the wells—the problem lies there!"

The captains and soldiers were surprised, but did not act on his words. After all, Huang Ming was neither their superior nor a government official; how could his orders be obeyed?

As for those with authority to command, they were clearly caught off guard and unable to keep pace with his reasoning.

The innkeeper, however, was shaken by this and reacted swiftly.

With a sharp snap, the rope binding his arms behind his back broke, and with two muffled grunts, he elbowed the two guards restraining him, forcing them to double over and freeing himself.

Yet, once liberated, the innkeeper did not try to escape.

He understood well that under such circumstances, a few steps would see him captured again; to truly escape, he needed a better opportunity.

So, he leaped forward, aiming straight for Huang Ming.

Midair, his hands shot out, clawing toward the young man’s chest.

He had realized that this youth, who had uncovered the truth, was no ordinary official. His status must be extraordinary.

Unlike others, the youth had no trusted guards at his side and could be seized in one swift move.

Taking him hostage, he could then make his escape with ease.

"How dare you!"

"Stop!"

With shouts, Xu Xingzhi and Huang Bingkun snapped back to their senses, rushing forward to rescue Huang Ming.

But they were still too far from their target; no matter how quickly they reacted, it was impossible to reach in time.

The others were stunned by this sudden turn of events, unable to respond, and could only watch as the innkeeper lunged at Huang Ming, about to seize his collar.

Yet, in that instant, when everyone thought Huang Ming would fall into the villain’s hands, he responded with remarkable speed and precision.

He did not dodge or panic; instead, he stepped forward in a bow stance, his body moving to meet his assailant’s trajectory, his hands rising to intercept.

As if they had practiced together, Huang Ming caught the innkeeper’s arms in a firm grip. With a sharp shout, his body, which had been leaning forward, rebounded like a bent bamboo suddenly released, throwing the innkeeper forcefully backward.

At the same time, his slender arms swung in unison, along with the figure he had locked in their grasp.

Wham—crash!

Under the gaze of many, amidst cries of astonishment, the innkeeper's menacing attack ended with a humiliating fall to the ground, leaving jaws dropped in shock.

The abrupt contrast and impact of this reversal left many momentarily bewildered.

Fortunately, not everyone was stunned. Huang Bingkun and Xu Xingzhi, who had already rushed forward, had no time for surprise. They reached the fallen innkeeper, seized him with four hands, and with a series of cracks, dislocated several of his joints, eliciting cries of agony.

Only then did Huang Ming, breathing heavily, slowly straighten, his face pale.

This was not from fear, but exhaustion.

His body was simply too weak. Even though he had anticipated the attack and used the villain’s strength against him, he still felt his heart race, his breath short, and his limbs weak.

The innkeeper’s agile evasion of the earlier attack had already revealed his skill; Huang Ming had guessed he might make a desperate move. Thus, his probing questions, while meant to read the truth from his expressions, also aimed to provoke him into revealing himself.

Now, it seemed all of Huang Ming’s plans had been realized, though they appeared somewhat risky.

"Behave yourself! Do you still dare claim innocence? For an innkeeper to possess such skill and attack in public—reckless beyond belief!"

With repeated scoldings from Huang Bingkun and the others, the innkeeper seemed to accept reality at last, ceasing his struggle.

At this point, Liu Botao and his companions, finally recovered from their fright, spoke up quickly: "Why are you all standing around? Do as Young Master Huang says! Search all the wells—send men down with ropes!"

Immediately, the soldiers responded, grabbing their weapons and rushing toward the three wells inside the inn.

Everyone’s faces brimmed with anticipation. By all appearances, the most crucial clue was there, and their achievement was within reach.

Only the two officials who had earlier been so imposing now stood awkwardly to the side, utterly at a loss for words or actions.