Xuanqing Guard

Shen Hao had always admired the physicians in the Xuanqing Guard. Not only could they administer elixirs and concoct medicines, they were able to handle all sorts of injuries both inside and out, and always got results quickly.

This time was no exception.

"Lord Shen. The prisoner’s external injuries have stabilized. With continued rest, he should fully recover in at most a month. However, the internal injuries are troublesome. The True Qi that invaded his body carried a Wood Attribute poison, severely damaging his meridians. Whether or not he can keep his cultivation depends on his luck; he won’t be able to fight anyone for at least a year."

Shen Hao was quite satisfied—being able to treat a man who was on the verge of death in just one day to this degree was already remarkable skill. But he was more concerned about the interrogation: "Can we use any torture methods on him?"

"No way. Even something mild and simple might be more than he can withstand; the guy’s extremely fragile right now. I don’t recommend interrogating him yet. Best to wait ten days or half a month till he’s recovered much more."

Shen Hao said nothing, only signaling for someone to escort the physician away.

Wait ten days, half a month? Shen Hao didn’t have that kind of time.

The first situation report had already been sent to the Jingxi Town Governor’s Office early this morning, and Jiang Cheng’s personal reply arrived by noon. Clearly, Jiang Cheng was watching the developments closely.

Getting Jiang Cheng’s reply, it had only one meaning: act quickly—strike before they have a chance!

So Shen Hao was never going to wait for Zhang De’s full recovery before interrogating him. But that didn’t mean he was out of options when it came to dealing with a severely wounded prisoner.

He sketched out some rough diagrams of some devices, and had his men make them. The designs weren’t complex, and thanks to the Xuanqing Guard’s efficiency, they were finished by mid-7 p.m. that very night.

"Let’s go. Time to meet the Small Banner Officer from the Ministry of War."

He called for Wang Jian and Wang Yiming, and the three went together to the cell where Zhang De was held.

Since he was a serious criminal, Zhang De hadn’t been unchained from the board lock even now while seriously injured. There were three guards inside the cell watching him at all times, plus two more outside. That didn’t even count the dungeon’s own defensive measures. Next door, it wasn’t Ma San Kui—he was on the other side of the dungeon.

Seeing the three arrive, the guard at the door saluted and then gave a signal to the people inside, and the door was immediately opened from within. This was standard procedure; if you just knocked or broke in, you’d get hit with talismans by the ever-vigilant guards inside.

Inside, compared to Ma San Kui’s cell, the conditions were a bit better—notably, there was a hard plank bed. Lying on it was Zhang De, and the room was heavy with the smell of medicinal soup.

"Where’s the stuff?"

The three guards hurriedly dragged out a big chest from the corner. The lead one reported to Shen Hao: "My lord, all the items are in the box; they were delivered less than half a stick of incense ago."

"Open it up. Put the gear on the prisoner."

Inside the box was only a large pointed kettle and an iron fixture. Nothing else.

Other than Shen Hao himself, no one knew what these two items were for.

Following Shen Hao’s instructions, they secured the pointed kettle on a frame right above Zhang De’s head as he lay in bed, spout facing down about a foot from his forehead.

The iron fixture was to immobilize Zhang De’s head and neck. It was an auxiliary to the board lock, the primary purpose being to keep Zhang De’s head fixed in place and unable to move.

"Wang Jian, get some ice water for the kettle."

"Yes, my lord."

Wang Jian guessed they were about to deal with Zhang De, but didn’t know what Shen Hao had planned. He followed orders and used Five Elements Water Attribute True Qi to freeze some of the nearby cold water, making it rattle and clink. Then he unscrewed the cap at the bottom of the spout and poured in all the ice water.

"Zhang De. I know you’re awake. Can you hear me?"

"..." Zhang De on the bed didn’t move at all. But his breathing didn’t suggest he was asleep or unconscious. He just refused to pay Shen Hao any mind. He was gambling that, being so badly injured, the other side wouldn’t dare rough him up.

Very clever. Unfortunately for him, he’d met Shen Hao.

"Not talking? Fine by me. My time is pretty tight, but using it on you isn’t a waste. Right now, you’re still a valuable card." Shen Hao grinned as he spoke, reaching out to twist a valve beneath the spout. Instantly, the ice water in the kettle began dripping onto Zhang De’s forehead in isolated droplets.

"Pa!" A tiny barely audible drip sounded right at Zhang De’s brow. Then another, and another... every drop of ice water falling with the same steady interval, as rhythmic as breathing. Pa. Pa...

Wang Jian, Wang Yiming, and the others standing by just had one phrase in their heads: That’s it?

Only Shen Hao grinned, pulled up a chair, sat down, and said nothing, quietly waiting, even closing his eyes as if taking a nap.

Shen Hao said nothing, and the rest in the room didn’t dare a peep either. It was silent except for the rhythmic drip-drip of water onto Zhang De’s forehead.

Half an hour passed. The people in the room went from "baffled" at first, to "bewildered," then their expressions turned gradually "puzzled."

At first, no one paid the ice water the slightest attention. They didn’t understand, maybe even silently ridiculed their lord’s "nonsense." Privately, they thought: What, is the water drip supposed to stop him sleeping?

But soon, they noticed that Zhang De, getting dripped on the brow again and again, began to frown slightly. As more time went by, he stopped pretending to be asleep, and every so often let out a muffled groan, either in anger or pain.

The droplets were slow, but after half an hour, most of the water in the kettle was gone. Shen Hao gestured silently for Wang Jian to refill it, still saying nothing.

After another half hour, you could hardly hear the dripping anymore. Instead, Zhang De was shouting and cursing loudly, until the torturer by the side had to gag him with the iron walnuts.

Not until 9 p.m. did Shen Hao have them remove the iron walnuts gag from Zhang De’s mouth and ask again.

"Zhang De, tell me your identity. Which department of the Ministry of War are you with?"

"Fuck you... mmph..." He didn’t finish cursing before the iron walnuts were shoved back in his mouth.

"Looks like you still don’t want to talk. Then let’s wait a bit longer." Shen Hao stood from his chair, gestured for Wang Yiming and Wang Jian to leave the dungeon, and instructed the guards to keep an eye on the kettle—refill with ice water whenever it’s empty.

"Wang Jian, go get us something to eat. Tonight’s interrogation isn’t over yet."

"Yes, my lord."

Soon, Wang Jian returned from the mess with a few cold flatbreads. The three of them split them and ate as they went.

"My lord, that water-dripping contraption isn’t simple. What’s its use?"

"Use? Nothing fancy. It’s just an interrogation method that doesn’t cause any external injuries. Water torture." Shen Hao hadn’t really thought about the name before, but as soon as he said "water torture," he found the term a bit underwhelming. Still, it was said, so that’s what it was.

Let the people of this world witness a punishment from another world for themselves.