The rest of the bailiffs and hangers-on, upon hearing this, also slowly retreated a dozen steps, gripping their iron rulers, whips, and fire-water staffs tightly. Together with the soldiers armed with bows and sharp blades, they re-formed a large encirclement, making it impossible for Albert Brooks to escape even with wings.

The surrounding townsfolk, seeing this, knelt on the ground and cried even louder. Everyone in Xuzhou City knew that the one most skilled at squeezing money and the most ruthless and black-hearted was none other than the magistrate Stephen Parker on horseback. He hadn’t brought any yamen runners, but instead had directly summoned soldiers from the barracks to help, making it clear that he intended to treat this case as a major treasonous crime. Coupled with that baseless accusation of “Maitreya cult demon,” it seemed likely that not only would Albert Brooks himself be doomed to die in Mule Alley today, but the neighboring households would also be facing ruin.

The only one who seemed unchanged was Albert Brooks himself. His eyes continued to stare blankly at the crowd, as if he didn’t belong to this world at all. It wasn’t until the hostage Mr. Thompson had already wet his pants that Albert Brooks finally sniffed, frowned, and asked, “Ruined the banquet? Why is the Tian Di Xianna oil so yellow, German-style*&%$#? Ah! My fate is lost, held in a blur!”

This time, his speech was even clearer, as if his tongue was slowly getting used to his mouth. Mr. Sullivan finally understood the last few words he said, and slapped his own thigh in anxiety, “This isn’t a dream, it’s real, it’s real! Albert Brooks, have you really been beaten silly? Quickly put down the knife and surrender, so you don’t implicate others! I’ll do my best to arrange with the jailer so you won’t suffer before you go!”

After saying this, he mustered his courage and ran to the magistrate Stephen Parker’s horse, bowing repeatedly, “Sir, sir, this man was struck silly by Mr. Thompson’s ruler, he doesn’t even know what he’s doing! The neighbors around here usually have nothing to do with him!”

“Really, you dare vouch for him? How come I heard that he’s the deputy leader of the Maitreya cult’s Wisdom Branch, and is planning to coordinate with Sesame Li to attack Xuzhou?!” The magistrate Stephen Parker’s gaze was as sharp as a knife, stabbing straight into Mr. Sullivan’s heart.

Mr. Sullivan was so frightened his soul nearly left his body, trembling as he backed away, “I—I just think Old Li, Old Li is really pitiful. He’s worked so hard for you for so many years. If we don’t find a way to calm Albert Brooks down, Old Li, Old Li might not escape this disaster!”

“Have mercy, sir!” The archer David Thompson, held hostage by Albert Brooks, raised his head and wailed loudly at Stephen Parker.

“Have mercy, sir!” The little hanger-on Frank Thompson also knelt down, begging Stephen Parker to show mercy.

The surrounding townsfolk were even more terrified, kneeling on the ground, their heads bobbing up and down like pounding garlic. They were willing to give up everything at home, just begging Stephen Parker not to arrest Albert Brooks as a Maitreya cult demon, so they wouldn’t suffer as innocent bystanders.

“Since you all have families and property, I suppose you’re not too involved with the Maitreya cult!” Seeing the crowd’s “sincerity,” the magistrate Stephen Parker didn’t want to fish in a dry pond either. Stroking his curly yellow beard, he loudly announced, “Then I’ll trouble you all to go and catch him for me! If you catch them, that will prove your innocence.”

He then quickly turned his face, as big as a pot lid, toward Albert Brooks, “If you don’t want them to die, then let David Thompson go at once! In consideration of your youth and ignorance, I’ll only take your life, and won’t implicate your family.”

The townsfolk were first stunned when they heard this, then each showed a look of reluctance. But reluctance aside, if they didn’t want their own families to be implicated, they could only follow Stephen Parker’s orders.

An old man took the lead, and the other neighbors, trembling, followed, taking iron rulers, whips, and sticks from the hangers-on, noisily crowding toward Albert Brooks. As they approached, they cried and explained, “Old Nian, Old Nian, don’t blame us! You heard what the magistrate said, we have no choice, no choice!”

“You guys?” Albert Brooks was stunned, looking at the crowd, his face full of disbelief.

“Save me, save me!” While he was in a daze, the hostage archer Mr. Thompson began to struggle desperately. Using all his strength, he pushed away the knife at his neck and ran toward Stephen Parker.

“Damn you!” Albert Brooks was momentarily stunned, then raised his butcher’s knife and chased after him relentlessly.

Everyone understood this sentence. The neighbors didn’t dare block Mr. Thompson’s escape, quickly stepping aside. Albert Brooks, cursing all the while, chased after him with the butcher’s knife raised, the tip of the blade tracing a shadow behind Mr. Thompson’s back.

Just as he broke through the neighbors’ encirclement, the soldiers’ arrows flew toward him. Two struck the townsfolk beside him, and another lodged in his hair, trembling slightly.

“Does it hurt?” Albert Brooks was startled and instinctively stopped in his tracks. The bailiffs and little jailers, seeing an opportunity, immediately swarmed forward, trying to capture him alive.

Before they could reach Albert Brooks, he suddenly grinned, “Doesn’t hurt, so it really is a dream, damn it!”

He stabbed forward, plunging the knife straight through Frank Thompson, who had rushed to block him. Then, as if mad, he pulled out the bloody blade and chased after Mr. Thompson, charging straight at the square-faced magistrate Stephen Parker.