After Transmigrating Into a Scummy Alpha, I Have Unlimited Krypton Gold (GL) - Chapter 8

“Whether it’s repairing city walls or digging in some miserable mine, no matter where she ends up, it won’t be pleasant”

Liu Wuyuan trailed behind Xue Cheng with clear reluctance, clinging to the corner of her robe. A suppression patch covered the gland at the back of her neck, and her body, still weak and aching from being marked, could barely manage a few steps without wanting to stop.

Noticing her sluggishness, Xue Cheng deliberately slowed her pace to let her catch up.

The group moved toward the county yamen at a steady, unhurried pace, drawing a fair amount of attention along the way.

Part of it was because Xue Cheng was quite well known in the area—never held a serious job, always relying on her family’s connections to laze about in the courtesan houses.

Another reason was Liu Wuyuan herself—so stunningly beautiful that, although she rarely left the house, those who caught a glimpse couldn’t help but stare.

Lastly, though the two were technically spouses, it was rare to see them out together. Now, watching them head toward the county office sparked whispers and speculations among the townsfolk.

Someone couldn’t help but snidely mutter, “Wouldn’t be surprised if that Xue Qianyuan finally landed herself in trouble. With her behavior, prison’s probably where she’s headed sooner or later.”

Xue Cheng’s reputation outside wasn’t stellar, but it wasn’t quite villainous either. In front of others, she could still put on a courteous face. As for how she acted behind closed doors—well, who really knew?

A newly marked person naturally developed some dependence on the one who marked them. Although Liu Wuyuan didn’t want to show any affection toward Xue Cheng in public, her body seemed to lean toward her of its own accord.

She silently cursed herself for being pathetic, then stared blankly at Xue Cheng’s back, struggling to understand how things had come to this.

Her feelings toward Xue Cheng were complicated. Hate? Not quite. Xue Cheng had treated her well at times and horribly at others. If she had really taken advantage of her while she was under the influence of the drug, there’d be no forgiveness.

But love? That was out of the question.

The gratitude she once felt toward Xue Cheng for rescuing and taking her in had long worn thin. The truth was, she had no way out—no ability, no freedom to leave.

Even though they hadn’t consummated their marriage, their relationship had undeniably changed. Forming a bond—even if done by impulsive young lovers—was still, in most people’s eyes, an intimate act reserved for married couples.

Liu Wuyuan couldn’t help but wonder: if, once they got home, Xue Cheng insisted they start living in the same room, how would she refuse? And if she did refuse, would Xue Cheng go back to her old self—angry, violent, and verbally abusive?

She had no expectations left for Xue Cheng, but still, a part of her wished this gentler version would last just a little longer. A day more. Maybe two.

Lost in thought, she didn’t notice they had reached the front gates of the county yamen. When Xue Cheng stopped, she bumped right into her from behind. Reflexively, Xue Cheng turned and caught her in her arms.

“Did that hurt?” she asked anxiously. “Did you hit yourself?”

Liu Wuyuan rubbed her nose and shook her head. It wasn’t too bad—her steps were small, and she’d just been distracted. Her nose felt a little numb; that was all.

She fully expected Xue Cheng to get angry and scold her and was already bracing herself for the usual mistreatment. But instead, Xue Cheng just smiled gently and stroked her hair.

“Good. Silly girl, be more careful when you walk next time.”

Before Liu Wuyuan could respond, Xue Cheng took her hand and led her inside.

Clearly someone had informed the yamen in advance. Not only did no one stop them, but they were also directed to the administrative office to speak with the official clerk.

The case was neither big nor small—it all depended on how it was handled. So, they weren’t at the point of holding a formal trial just yet.

The clerk, a man in his mid-forties named Li, had a modest demeanor and a neatly trimmed mustache. He gave them a polite nod, his expression relatively friendly.

He pulled a file from the stack on his desk and asked, “Here for the Liang Duan case, I assume?”

Though phrased as a question, he already knew the answer. He handed over the dossier.

“Take a look. This is his statement.”

Xue Cheng instinctively thanked him and took the file, but as soon as she glanced at the text, her head spun. She couldn’t understand a single character. Just as she was about to shamefully hand it back and admit she was illiterate—

Ding!
A chipper little girl’s voice rang out in her mind.

“System has detected that the host is illiterate in Chu Kingdom script. Delivering Literacy Booster Pack now. Uploading the full Chu character database to the host’s mind. Please wait three seconds.”

Beep—beep—beep—

Three seconds later, Xue Cheng’s head buzzed briefly. She rubbed her temples, blinked, and found—much to her astonishment—she could now understand the entire file.

Her sudden clarity might’ve seemed odd, but neither Liu Wuyuan nor the clerk noticed anything unusual.

After reading the statement, Xue Cheng frowned and immediately pointed out several problems.

“He’s lying. First of all, I never invited him to my house.”

“Just the fact that he climbed over the wall instead of using the main entrance is evidence enough that he entered my property without permission.”

Her tone was calm and logical—so much so that Liu Wuyuan kept glancing at her in surprise. Since when had Xue Cheng learned to argue like this?

Unaware of the attention, Xue Cheng continued highlighting the inconsistencies in Liang Duan’s statement.

“Secondly, he claims he was merely chatting with my wife when I burst in and assaulted him without cause…”

She paused for a moment, incredulous at how brazen the lie was.

Then, she pulled out a broken door bolt from her sleeve and handed it to the clerk.

“This is the bolt from our bedroom door. Clerk Li may send officers to verify whether the break matches the damage on our bedroom door.”

“My wife happened to be in her… rain-and-dew period recently,” she began, but quickly corrected herself in the formal setting. “She was unwell. I left to get food and told her to lock the door until I returned.”

In truth, Liu Wuyuan had noticed Liang Duan sneaking in, so she locked the door herself before hiding under the bed. It was only by chance that Xue Cheng had spotted the broken bolt on the ground earlier and thought to bring it along—never expecting it would come in handy like this.

Serious-faced, Xue Cheng addressed the clerk again.

“If he had truly been invited, he would’ve used the front door, and my wife would have received him in the main hall—not behind a locked bedroom door, which he had to break down to enter.”

“At the time, my wife—a gentle, vulnerable kunze—was alone. If I had arrived even a moment later, who knows what might’ve happened?”

“He intended to harm her. That he didn’t succeed was only because I got back in time—not because he chose to stop. If this is let off lightly, what’s to stop him from trying the same thing again? Clerk Li—how do you think this should be judged?”

Clerk Li frowned. Xue Cheng’s words were clearly fueled by personal emotion, but they were also well-founded.

Had she returned a minute later, something truly tragic might have happened. So he said, “According to Chu law, a man who assaults another’s wife or daughter shall be castrated and sentenced to thirty years of labor.”

“Although Liang Duan failed in his attempt, his intent and actions were clear. Five years of hard labor should suffice. As for damages to your household, he will provide compensation based on value.”

He rolled up the dossier and added, “I’ll report this to the magistrate. Barring any surprises, the sentence will be upheld. Do you, Xue Qianyuan, have any other questions?”

Five years of hard labor meant being sent to some godforsaken place to do grueling work—perhaps building city walls, perhaps mining. Whatever it was, it wouldn’t be easy.

Xue Cheng was satisfied. She’d initially judged the clerk by his mustache, assuming no one with a mustache like that could be a decent person—but now she breathed a sigh of relief.

“Thank you, Clerk Li. My wife and I are truly grateful. I believe the people of Lu County will also find this ruling fair.”

Li Wenliang had served as a clerk for over twenty years—he’d heard it all. Seeing Xue Cheng’s not-too-subtle reminder, he simply smiled and waved them off.

Surprisingly, this infamous little scoundrel turned out to be sharper than he’d expected.

As they left, Xue Cheng held Liu Wuyuan’s hand. Even though Liu Wuyuan had been the actual victim, Clerk Li hadn’t asked her a single question the entire time.

Perhaps sensing she might be upset, Xue Cheng quietly said, “It’s only five years of labor, but since nothing actually happened, Clerk Li probably considered the social impact more than the crime itself…”

In smaller cases, it was usually the clerks who proposed a sentence, and the magistrate would give it a quick once-over before approving it. Usually, their judgment aligned with the clerk’s recommendations.

Xue Cheng explained this, worried that Liu Wuyuan might feel that justice hadn’t been fully served. After all, she had been the one nearly assaulted.

But Liu Wuyuan shook her head.

Though her memories before waking up were hazy, she understood well enough that, in this society, Kunze (Omegas) had little standing.

Chu law did have some protections for them, but in practice, when a Qianyuan was involved, the law almost always leaned in their favor.

Had Xue Cheng not brought her here today, that Clerk Li likely wouldn’t have given her the time of day. He might’ve believed Liang Duan’s version outright or waved it off as “making a fuss.”

Worse, those with prejudice against kunze would immediately blame them for “seducing” a qianyuan. Forget labor punishment—Liang Duan might’ve walked free without so much as a cane beating.

Xue Cheng herself had little real power, but the Xue family still held sway in Lu County. And being a qianyuan, she at least got respect where Liu Wuyuan wouldn’t.

Liu Wuyuan knew all of this.

Seeing that she wasn’t upset, Xue Cheng finally relaxed and led her away. Perhaps because they were out in public, Liu Wuyuan didn’t resist and let her hold her wrist as they walked.