Chapter 59: Blood and Tears of the Stone Clam

Qu Xiao and Madam Qu Li both pleaded with Gu Mo.

Gu Mo comforted the mother and daughter, saying, "Sister Xiaoxiao, Auntie, please don't worry yet."

Madam Qu Li choked out, "How can I not worry, Ah Mo? The Six Doors Gate is a terrible place; even good people suffer greatly there. We don't know anything about your Uncle Qu's current situation, and we can't even see him. Furthermore, the Six Doors Gate in Qingyang County has transferred the people back, which implies your Uncle Qu may have already been convicted!"

Gu Mo frowned slightly. Madam Qu Li's concern was valid. According to official procedures, prisoners are typically transferred back to their registered residence only after a conviction. The fact that Qu Heng and the others had now been transferred back to Linjiang County suggested that all evidence had been gathered and their guilt established. However, there was one puzzling aspect: if a conviction had occurred, family members should have been permitted visits and informed of the specific details.

Gu Mo asked, "How did you find out?"

"We learned from Changfeng Escort Agency," Qu Xiao replied. "The agency is in disarray. The bodies of the deceased escorts were returned, and families were notified to claim them. It was only when we went there that we discovered my father was one of the perpetrators. My mother and I immediately rushed to the Six Doors Gate, but they wouldn't allow us to see anyone, stating the transfer was still in progress and visits were temporarily prohibited. However, it's certain that my father is among the thirteen captured culprits."

Gu Mo nodded. "For now, you two shouldn't return home. Stay here with me. Over eighty escorts died. Although the authorities haven't issued an official announcement yet, there's no guarantee that the victims' families won't impulsively seek revenge against you. This is especially true for the family of Chief Escort Lin Zhenyue, as his entire family belongs to the martial arts world and is known for their strong, unyielding nature."

"Alright, Ah Mo Ge, we'll listen to you," Qu Xiao said. "We'll do whatever you tell us. Right now, besides you, we don't know who else we can turn to!"

Gu Mo nodded, stood up, and called out, "Chudong, prepare the carriage. I'm going to the Six Doors Gate now."

"Ah Mo Ge, what about us...?"

"You two wait here," Gu Mo said. "I'll go to Commander Zhuo to understand the situation first. Since the Six Doors Gate isn't allowing you to see anyone, it means the case is still in progress. Taking you with me would only make things difficult for Commander Zhuo."

Soon, Gu Mo and Gu Chudong arrived at the Six Doors Gate.

Gu Mo was currently at the height of his influence, having gained considerable renown throughout Yunzhou. His reputation in the Linjiang County martial arts world had soared recently, making him naturally well-known to the Six Doors Gate, a governmental agency that frequently interacted with martial artists.

Therefore, upon arriving at the Six Doors Gate, after Gu Mo announced his name, he was led inside and arranged to wait in a reception room.

Not long after, Zhuo Qingfeng, a Commander from the Six Doors Gate, arrived.

Gu Mo didn't beat around the bush with Zhuo Qingfeng and directly stated, "Commander Zhuo, I'm here to inquire about the Changfeng Escort Agency's hijacked escort case."

Zhuo Qingfeng poured tea for Gu Mo and Gu Chudong. "I just heard from my subordinate that you were here," he said, "and I surmised you'd come about the Changfeng Escort Agency, given your past with them."

Gu Mo nodded slightly and asked, "Among the thirteen individuals transferred from Qingyang County's Six Doors Gate, is there someone named Qu Heng?"

"Yes, there is," Zhuo Qingfeng confirmed.

"He is an elder to me and has shown immense kindness to my sister and me," Gu Mo said directly. "Now that something has happened to him, I cannot stand by idly."

Zhuo Qingfeng gravely said, "You're not planning to break him out of prison, are you?"

"If I were going to break him out, why would I come to you? To make you my inside man?" Gu Mo waved a hand dismissively. "I know Qu Heng's character very well; he would never commit internal theft. I simply want to understand the specifics of this case. Has he been convicted? Has he confessed?"

Zhuo Qingfeng hesitated. "To be frank, this case is quite complex, and it's not currently convenient to disclose internal details. However, since you, Great Hero Gu, have personally come to inquire, I'll explain. No confessions have been made yet, but the evidence gathered so far is sufficient for a direct conviction, even without them. The reason for the lack of an official announcement is that the stolen goods haven't been recovered, and the mental state of the thirteen suspects is quite abnormal."

"What do you mean by 'abnormal'?" Gu Mo asked, puzzled.

"They all gave the same story," Zhuo Qingfeng said, "claiming they encountered a monster."

"A monster?" Gu Mo exclaimed, surprised.

"Yes," Zhuo Qingfeng affirmed. "They all adamantly claim it wasn't an inside job but that they encountered a monster. They say their escorted goods were stolen by a cat demon the size of a calf, leading hundreds, perhaps even thousands, of other cats. It's absurd... That's why I say their mental state is clearly abnormal."

Gu Mo asked, "What are the specific details of the case?"

Zhuo Qingfeng began, "About a month ago, Changfeng Escort Agency accepted a commission. The client was Mo Qingxian, master of Lingyun Villa, located outside Linjiang City. The entrusted item was Lingyun Villa's ultimate treasure: the fabled Blood Tear Clam, said to bring the dead back to life, mend flesh and bones, and greatly increase one's cultivation. You've heard of it, haven't you?"

"That thing really exists?" Gu Mo asked in surprise.

Lingyun Villa had, in recent years, emerged as a prominent power in the Linjiang County martial arts world, now counted among its leading factions. Its master, Mo Qingxian, bore the moniker 'Invincible Divine Blade'.

Beyond Mo Qingxian himself, what captivated the martial arts community most about Lingyun Villa was the legendary Blood Tear Stone Clam, a rare celestial treasure.

The story went that Mo Qingxian was once an obscure figure with unremarkable martial arts skills. He accidentally discovered a stone clam in a spring and, finding it beautiful, brought it home.

He soon realized the clam expelled blood-red pearls, accompanied by an intoxicating fragrance. Unable to resist, Mo Qingxian consumed one, immediately experiencing a significant boost in his internal energy. These pearls were subsequently named Blood Tear Pearls.

Thereafter, the clam produced one Blood Tear Pearl annually, each equivalent to ten years of cultivation. It was through these that Mo Qingxian achieved mastery in profound martial arts within just a few years, ascending to the ranks of top experts.

Later, Mo Qingxian discovered the Blood Tear Pearls possessed incredibly potent medicinal properties, capable of reviving the dead and mending flesh and bone.

However, due to his numerous friends and the high demand for the pearls, there were simply not enough to distribute. Consequently, he began grinding the Blood Tear Pearls into powder, combining them with other powerful medicinal ingredients to refine them into pills called Blood Tear Pills. Today, these Blood Tear Pills are highly coveted in the martial arts world, costing thousands of taels each and remaining scarce. As for the Blood Tear Pearls themselves, Lingyun Villa does not sell them publicly; only a select few with exceptionally close ties to Mo Qingxian have ever acquired them.

Zhuo Qingfeng continued, "This time, Changfeng Escort Agency was escorting the Blood Tear Stone Clam itself. So, do you understand why the security deposit was an exorbitant two hundred thousand taels?"