Author: 颜凉雨 / Yan Liang Yu

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 164: Chaos

When Kuang Jinxin was caught, Chi Yingxue was drinking mineral water.

Today was the day of the Old Master’s encoffinment, yet Ying Jiu had the brothers from the Fushou Gang wandering around the Cheng family mansion. Ostensibly, they appeared to be helping the bereaved family by guarding the house, but secretly, they were ordered not to let anyone from the mansion escape.

Chi Yingxue had a premonition that something was about to happen, so he delegated the task of analysis and deduction to the advisor in the front courtyard and then leisurely strolled around the Cheng family mansion, even managing to get a bottle of mineral water.

It was essentially soda with a hint of mint. It wasn’t very delicious, but it was sweet and refreshing.

The person was caught under the wall in the back garden. Chi Yingxue happened to be strolling nearby, heard the commotion, and came over, seeing a boy about fifteen or sixteen years old surrounded by three brothers from the Fushou Club.

“Young Master Wu—” Seeing him approach, the three brothers respectfully greeted him.

“Mm,” Chi Yingxue responded indifferently.

This classmate was naturally talented at being a young master; without any pretense, just by being his true self, he embodied the persona of a young master.

The boy surrounded by the three was of average appearance, the kind that would blend into a crowd unnoticed, except for his large, round eyes that were bright and clear. His clothes, however, were extremely ugly, seemingly scavenged from somewhere, and matched the color of the wall so well that he almost became invisible against it.

The fact that he was discovered despite this camouflage, the brothers from the Fushou Gang indeed had sharp eyes.

As Chi Yingxue thought about these random things, he casually asked the three brothers from the Fushou Gang, “Trying to run?”

Ying Jiu had ordered them “not to let a single one escape”, so Chi Yingxue naturally assumed that the boy was from the Cheng family and was trying to escape over the wall for some ulterior reason.

Unexpectedly, one of the Fushou Gang brothers said, “He’s been lurking around the wall for a while now. He doesn’t seem like one of the Cheng’s. We asked a few maids and servants, and they all said they didn’t recognize him.”

Another brother interjected irritably, “I said earlier, there’s no need to ask. This one’s clearly a little thief, sneaking in to take advantage during the chaos…”

Chi Yingxue hadn’t been paying much attention, planning to hand the boy over to Ying Jiu and tell Wu Sheng about this incident. As for how to deal with the boy and whether this side story was useful, that was for those two to worry about.

But the word “thief” struck a nerve.

[Qian Ai said he saw a thief that might be him, but he ran away without catching him.]

Chi Yingxue looked at the boy again, this time seriously observing him.

Ignoring everything else, he just looked into the boy’s eyes.

Those eyes were looking back at him.

A bit panicked, but not afraid. Instead, there was a bit of calculation hidden behind that panic, orderly and progressive.

Chi Yingxue’s eyebrows relaxed, and he smiled lightly.

That’s it.

Everyone thought Xiao Sijin was naive and without schemes, but that wasn’t the case; he was cunning in a very quiet, harmless way that wasn’t easily aggressive. Thus, he could successfully remain invisible among Xu Wang’s eccentricity and Wu Sheng’s flamboyance, just like the clothes he was wearing now.

“I’ll take him to see Master Jiu. You guys look around some more and see if there are any accomplices.” Chi Yingxue smiled faintly, his smile quietly receding.

Kuang Jinxin followed the Young Master Wu who had caught him, walking a distance, and seeing that they were heading towards a secluded area with no one around, he suddenly used his shoulder to bump into the side of the person next to him!

The side of the waist is tender and least resistant to bumps; if hit directly, it could easily cause a strain.

Kuang Jinxin, afraid of seriously injuring the person, didn’t use full force, just aiming to buy some time to escape. If this bump wasn’t enough, he was ready to use his stationery—his escape plan was well thought out.

His master had asked him to scout, and he had complied, but now that he had failed, he needed to ensure his own safety—his safety was one of the conditions for the advisor to successfully complete the mission.

Kuang Jinxin believed the surprise attack would catch the other off guard, but the other party, as if anticipating it, dodged.

Kuang Jinxin missed and stumbled forward, about to fall, but was pulled back just in time, and before he could steady himself, he was handed a bottle of mineral water.

No, half a bottle.

Holding the mineral water amidst the faint mint scent, Kuang Jinxin looked bewilderedly at the person in front of him.

From the moment he was caught, he had only thought about escaping, never really looking at this person.

But as soon as his gaze fell on him, the person across said, “Ugly.”

Kuang Jinxin was stunned. “Huh?”

The person frowned. “Your clothes—they’re too ugly.”

Kuang Jinxin was momentarily dazed, then a tentative, careful joy appeared in his eyes. “Xiao Xue?”

Chi Yingxue was a bit unhappy about being recognized so late, until he saw the joy in Kuang Jinxin’s eyes and felt quite important. Thus, “I’m very important” outweighed “I’m hard to recognize”, and Chi Yingxue’s mood also lightened.

“Are the captain and the others here too?” Kuang Jinxin looked around. Both he and Chi Yingxue appearing at the Cheng residence didn’t seem like a coincidence.

“They’re in the front courtyard.” Chi Yingxue gave a definitive answer, then succinctly introduced everyone’s roles. “The captain is chanting sutras, the advisor is investigating the case, and Lao Qian is keeping vigil.”

“……” Kuang Jinxin wanted to see Qian Ai first. Even if he couldn’t offer warmth, lending a hand would be good.

“Mineral water.” Chi Yingxue’s voice came from above, like a child eager to please.

They were standing face-to-face, already close enough for whispering, but Chi Yingxue, for some reason, had moved even closer. Kuang Jinxin, much shorter than Young Master Wu, had to tilt his head up to look at Chi Yingxue’s face.

But he didn’t tilt his head.

Instead, he cooperatively took a big gulp of the mineral soda and then exhaled a breath of cool air. “Mint flavored.”

Chi Yingxue, expecting a smile in return, felt a bit disappointed, as if the joy seen in the other’s eyes when they recognized each other was just an illusion.

Kuang Jinxin hadn’t smiled at him for several days—not since that night.

The rejection was his; the one who couldn’t distinguish between liking and loneliness was him, yet he was the one being avoided.

Moreover, Kuang Jinxin didn’t blatantly avoid him; he would still talk to him and discuss tactics with no apparent difference on the surface. But if it was just the two of them, every conversation would end with a grand excuse for him to run off, faster than a loach!

Chi Yingxue had never been fixated on anything; he only took what was easily within reach, what could be touched with a mere extension of his hand, effortless and carefree. He would hold on if he wanted to and let go if he didn’t, and in fact, he had never really wanted to hold on to anything.

Kuang Jinxin was initially in front of him.

He didn’t even need to reach out; by simply lifting his eyes, he could see that person smiling at him.

But that person smiled at everyone, and he wanted to keep him by his side, to look at only himself.

……

Chi Yingxue wanted to talk more with Kuang Jinxin, even if just about the side story of why he came to the Cheng residence, but Kuang Jinxin suggested they go to the front courtyard together to find Wu Sheng and talk to the team.

Chi Yingxue couldn’t find a reason to object, so he tied up a servant, took his jacket, put it on Kuang Jinxin to cover the original color of his clothes, and then hurried to the front courtyard together.

But upon entering the courtyard, they stumbled upon a spectacle—a little monk performing the ritual had been possessed by Old Master Cheng’s spirit.

The courtyard was packed, three layers inside and out. Despite the horrifying situation, the presence of “many people generating strong yang energy” didn’t deter the servants’ enthusiasm for watching the excitement.

As Chi Yingxue and Kuang Jinxin squeezed forward through the crowd, the little monk in the memorial hall was pointing at Cheng Xiaonan’s nose, cursing.

“How did I give birth to such a beast—”

“Poisoning your own father… cough cough… worse than a beast—”

“Lao Er*, where are you! Your father has come to find you—”

*Second brother (老二). In this case, he’s referring to the second born son.

The curses were full of vehemence and tears. His voice was lowered to a rough and aged tone, complemented by intense coughing, making it impressively vivid. Not only the listening crowd outside who couldn’t see, but even those who could see the little monk’s face were convinced they were hearing Old Master Cheng himself.

Moreover, Old Master Cheng’s body was still nearby, adding to the impression with his appearance and smile—the ritual had just begun, and Old Master Cheng’s soul had returned, but his body hadn’t yet been placed into the coffin and still lay on the funeral bed.

Cheng Xiaonan’s face was already pale. He had forced himself to come to the ceremony—since the deceased was to be encoffined, it was the duty of the filial son to carry the coffin—arriving with unsteady steps. Now, after being scolded fiercely, he was both angry and afraid, his mouth quivering for a long time, barely able to utter a sentence.

No one dared to speak up or come forward to stop it—who would dare to intervene when a ghost was possessing someone?

Even Ying Jiu and Hai Yunlong were just watching from the side, one with deeply furrowed brows, the other with a panicked look.

Master Yan Yi was also there with an expression that remained unchanged throughout the entire process, focusing solely on chanting sutras.

After the little monk had finished his tirade, he suddenly turned his head, giving Master Yan Yi a deep look.

There was a momentary pause in Master Yan Yi’s chanting.

The little monk fell to the ground with a thud, as if his soul had been pulled out, completely unconscious.

Qian Ai, mingling in the front lines of the servant crowd, was astonished.

Using possession? Their captain was truly an acting genius.

The entire memorial hall fell silent, everyone looking at each other, no one daring to move. About two or three minutes later, Cheng Xiaonan seemed to regain his breath. With a deathly pale complexion, he shouted to the people below, “Come, someone… take him away!”

A few braver servants, looking at each other, cautiously approached.

Just two steps forward, the little monk who had been lying unconscious suddenly sprang up like a carp flipping over, lively and bright-eyed, rushing to Old Master Cheng’s funeral bed and wailing loudly, “Dad, I’m back! Lao Er is back—”

The servants approaching fell to the ground, one after another.

The crowd around the memorial hall gasped in shock.

Old Master Cheng’s ghost had really called his second son back from the underworld!

Possession 2.0 was even more dramatic than 1.0 because, after crying over his father, “Second Master Cheng” suddenly rushed towards the entrance of the memorial hall!

The crowd, originally packed tight, screamed and scattered at the sight of someone charging at them.

“Second Master Cheng” burst out of the memorial hall, and in the ensuing chaos, no one noticed a servant quietly raising his hand.

And “Second Master Cheng” ran straight towards that servant, ultimately tackling a brother from the Fushou Gang right beside him!

“Why did you harm me! Give me back my life—” “Second Master Cheng” cried out miserably, his eyes bloodshot!

Qian Ai, who had been tracking this person while enjoying the spectacle, quietly blended into the crowd. The task assigned by the advisor was completed, and now he could focus on the show.

“Ahhhh—” The man struggled to shake off the “ghost” on top of him. He screamed, “Don’t find me! Don’t find me! I did tie you up, but I didn’t harm you—”

Ying Jiu, making his way over, paused at these words, his face turning completely somber.

The objective was achieved.

Xu Wang hid his delight, ready to start the third part against Master Yan Yi, when suddenly a gunshot rang out above the Cheng family mansion.

Xu Wang instinctively dropped to the ground, covering the Fushou Gang brother beneath him, playing dead—scene over, work done.

Wu Sheng, blending into the crowd, watched as a large group of police officers rushed in from outside, quickly surrounding the entire front courtyard.

The leader was a man with a rugged face in his thirties, the one who had fired the gun. Though he was wearing a police uniform, he looked more like a bandit at a glance.

Seeing the situation under control, he scanned the crowd, quickly nodding subtly in a certain direction, then turned towards Cheng Xiaonan and said to the Cheng family members, “Someone reported that Old Master Cheng died of poisoning, and the Master was also deliberately poisoned last night. Du Jinnian also disappeared in the Cheng family—”

Wu Sheng clearly saw that the man was nodding at Ying Jiu.

Here, Cheng Xiaonan, supported by the maid, came forward to greet them with an apologetic face, but his underlying panic and irritation resurfaced. “Captain Lu, could there be a mistake? We didn’t report anything…”

Captain Lu smiled. “Master Cheng, someone did report, and matters of life and death are paramount. It looks like your funeral might have to be postponed…”

“Captain Lu.” Hai Yunlong stepped forward.

Captain Lu feigned surprise. “The Young Gang Leader is also here.”

Hai Yunlong didn’t bother with pleasantries. Today’s situation was clearly targeting the Cheng family, which meant disrespecting the Hai Gang. He cut to the chase. “Since you’re investigating, why not look into my brother-in-law’s case as well.”

Captain Lu didn’t expect him to bring this up; Cheng Jiming’s kidnapping and murder case from last year still had no resolution, and they couldn’t really assert themselves on this matter but still kept it separate. “We’re still investigating Second Master Cheng’s case. Actually, we’ve got some leads. It’s just not convenient to reveal yet…”

Hai Yunlong waited for him to finish his act, then signaled someone nearby.

Soon, the “unconscious” Xu Wang was dragged aside, and the brother from the Fushou Gang underneath him was brought before Captain Lu.

“It just so happens, I’ve got some leads here,” Hai Yunlong said with an icy gaze. “This brother from the Fushou Gang just admitted in front of everyone present that he was the one who tied up Second Master Cheng. Captain Lu, would you like to let this little brother continue speaking, or—” he raised his eyes, looking past the crowd to Ying Jiu. “Does Master Jiu have something to say?”

This turn of events wasn’t in Wu Sheng’s plan, but he was more than happy to see it.

In a deadlock, chaos creates opportunity. He had Xu Wang perform the possession act for this reason. More importantly, the police explicitly mentioned the “disappearance of Du Jinnian”.

All the connected clues finally aligned with the main mission.

……

Wu Sheng and Qian Ai, taking advantage of the moment when everyone’s attention was on Hai Yunlong and Captain Lu, pretended to be concerned bystanders and gently helped Xu Wang up.

Captain Xu then “woke up”, looking around bewildered. “Huh? What happened to me?”

Kuang Jinxin, having watched a horror movie turn into a mystery and then a cop drama, was a bit lost.

Chi Yingxue, making use of the crowd pushing against each other, naturally put his arm around Kuang Jinxin’s shoulder. His mind wasn’t following the plot at all. Whether it was possession or gunshots in front of him, he was undisturbed, eventually even taking back the mineral water he had given to Kuang Jinxin and taking a serious sip.

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<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 颜凉雨 / Yan Liang Yu

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 163: Chain of Events

“This is the current situation.” Wu Sheng transmitted all the known clues to Chi Yingxue at the fastest speed, listing them one after another like a massive database.

After listening, Chi Yingxue blinked and said, “Oh.”

Wu Sheng said, “I know it’s a lot of information, but you don’t actually have to remember all this. Just keep an eye on Ying Jiu. He deliberately sent the body back and insisted on not leaving. There must be a reason.”

“No need to remember, yet you tell me…” Chi Yingxue complained.

Wu Sheng didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “Then pretend I didn’t say anything.”

“It’s too late.” Chi Yingxue took out the remaining four and a half oranges from the fruit plate, mumbling to himself—

The first orange: “Old Master Cheng survives a fall but dies from poison.”

The second orange: “Cheng Jiming gets kidnapped and dies, but the Fushou Gang refuses responsibility.”

The third orange: “Du Jinnian comes for tea and vanishes from the face of the earth.”

The fourth orange: “Cheng Xiaonan gets poisoned by alcohol and can’t get out of bed.”

The last half-orange was split into three segments: “Now both the Hai Gang and the Fushou Gang are refusing to leave. You should hurry up and look for the badge while searching the Cheng residence.”

Four oranges and three segments, neatly lined up by size, meticulously arranged by Chi Yingxue.

“All remembered, can’t be erased,” he said with a serious and distressed face, like a user unfortunate enough to have redundant information taking up memory that couldn’t be deleted.

Wu Sheng didn’t know whether to be astonished or delighted. “When did you awaken this skill?”

Chi Yingxue skeptically raised an eyebrow. “This counts as a skill?”

“Of course,” Wu Sheng said. “Although I am well-rounded in intelligence, martial skills, agility, and defense, most of the time, it’s ‘intelligence’ that decides the outcome.”

Chi Yingxue thought for a moment. “What about looks?”

“……” For a long time after sending off his teammate, Wu Sheng couldn’t figure out whether the question “What about looks?” was simply asking “Don’t looks matter?” or had a deeper meaning of “Can’t you have some shame?”

……

The Cheng family arranged four rooms in the guest house for the Fushou Gang. Ying Jiu and Xiao Wu each had their own room, with the remaining two rooms allocated to other brothers.

As soon as Chi Yingxue entered the room, he felt something was off. Someone was inside.

In the unlit room, only a faint, barely visible frost was illuminated by the moonlight filtering through the window, with Ying Jiu sitting behind it, his face obscured.

“I didn’t know you knew Mr. Bai.”

“He’s my… friend.” Chi Yingxue didn’t think it was a big deal, but when he said the last word, he couldn’t help but curl his lips, feeling proud and haughty.

“What kind of friend?” Ying Jiu’s voice was calm and steady yet unfathomable, like a deep river with a smooth surface but turbulent currents underneath.

Unfortunately, Chi Yingxue didn’t catch any of this, as he was fiddling with an oil lamp with interest. “One I clear levels with.”

“What levels?” Ying Jiu frowned in the darkness.

“You wouldn’t understand if I told you.” Chi Yingxue unilaterally ended the conversation and then shook the exquisite oil lamp at Ying Jiu. “Do you know how to light this?”

Ying Jiu lit the oil lamp for his subordinate, and when the room was illuminated, his face was completely dark, unwilling to admit what he had just done.

Chi Yingxue was still engrossed in planning for the Cheng family. “We should pull the electric wires over to the small building. Using electricity is so much more convenient…”

Master Ying Jiu didn’t want to stay a second longer, smoothing out the wrinkles on his long robe and walking towards the door.

Seeing Ying Jiu about to leave, Chi Yingxue quickly put down the oil lamp and asked, “Was the ransom provided by the Cheng family not enough? Why kill Cheng Jiming?”

Ying Jiu stopped in his tracks. He was silent for a moment, then turned around. His eyes, for the first time, revealed undisguised defiance and murderous intent. “Kid, no one has dared to talk to me like that.”

Chi Yingxue looked at him worriedly, not quite satisfied with the response—was Cheng Jiming killed or not?

Seeing this little brother drifting off again, Ying Jiu felt exhausted both in body and mind.

Killing someone with a gunshot meant nothing to Ying Jiu, but he could foresee that even if he did kill the other party, it wouldn’t resolve the frustration in his heart.

Moreover, he didn’t really want to make the move.

“Do you know why I let you follow me?” Ying Jiu rarely shared his feelings, but tonight was an exception.

Chi Yingxue: “Because I’m skilled?”

Ying Jiu glanced at him disdainfully. “You think too highly of yourself.”

Chi Yingxue frowned. “Then why?”

Ying Jiu quietly looked at him, as if seeing through him to the past. “Because you remind me of myself when I was young.”

“Impossible,” Chi Yingxue said without hesitation. “You’re not as good-looking as I am.”

“……”

When Ying Jiu left Young Master Wu’s room, he felt that not going on a rampage tonight must have been the work of a ghost—the kind that endures, made of steel.

……

Wu Sheng used stationery to make him invisible to search the entire Cheng mansion thoroughly, not sparing even the Western-style small building.

In the end, he found the [Chaos Badge] underneath the “stove” as indicated by the badge handbook and discovered the following clues in three other locations—

1. Cheng Jiming’s study was left as it was. In a book on the lowest shelf, there was a note with different handwriting than his own. The note featured the verse, “These stars are not those of last night, for whom do the wind and dew stand deep into the night?” It had no name, only a crescent moon-shaped red mark.
2. In Old Master Cheng’s residence, a letter was found with the signature of Mr. Bai, whom Wu Sheng had transmigrated into. The letter stated that the matter Old Master Cheng asked him to investigate had made progress and needed a face-to-face discussion.
3. In the study of Cheng Xiaonan in the Western-style building, Wu Sheng found a cylindrical seal under the carpet beneath the bookshelf, likely rolled there accidentally. The seal, adorned with a finely carved little lion with a hint of black resembling blood, was inscribed with “Yu Sheng”—Du Jinnian’s courtesy name.

The badge wasn’t difficult to find, but the clues were terrifying upon closer inspection.

Wu Sheng tucked the note, badge, and letter into his arms and slipped out of Cheng Xiaonan’s room, which was the last spot that he searched. He planned to return to the Bai Mansion under the cover of night—Old Master Cheng’s commission for Mr. Bai to investigate was likely related to Cheng Jiming’s kidnapping, and there might be more information and clues in Bai Mansion.

As soon as he stepped out of the study, he smelled a strange odor coming from Cheng Xiaonan’s bedroom.

In front of the bedroom, brothers from the Fushou Gang and the Hai Gang stared with eagle-like vigilance that not even a fly could enter. However, two of them seemed unsettled by the smell, cursing quietly. “Damn, it’s making my cravings kick in.”

Wu Sheng quietly returned to the study, leaping from balcony to balcony towards the bedroom, moving like a chess piece, eventually landing on the bedroom balcony.

The curtains weren’t fully closed, leaving a narrow gap that let out light.

Peering through the gap, he could see everything in the brightly lit room—a maid sat by the bed, skillfully delivering an opium pipe to Cheng Xiaonan’s lips. Her movements were practiced; clearly, this wasn’t her first time serving. Amid the swirling smoke, with an IV drip hanging, the bedridden master of the Cheng family struggled to turn his head, lazily and contentedly inhaling.

Even though he was poisoned, it didn’t deter him from smoking opium. Wu Sheng suddenly felt that the act of poisoning was superfluous—someone like Cheng Xiaonan could bring about his own downfall. If there was a grudge, one only needed to wait.

Upon returning to Bai Mansion, Wu Sheng glanced at the clock and was shocked to find that five hours had passed since his transmigration!

He had spent the entire night dealing with various people and searching for clues in the Cheng family residence without realizing how much time had elapsed! He had planned to search the Bai Mansion next and then think about the save point issue.

However, it seemed that time here didn’t flow at a 1:1 ratio with reality, a situation that had occurred both in the ancient castle in 7/23 and in the inner hell in 9/23. Often, more than five hours had passed in-game, but not in real time.

When it slowed, he could be at ease.

Wu Sheng stopped pondering these things and dove into Mr. Bai’s study, filled with documents, starting his massive search.

He searched until dawn, to no avail.

In the entire sea of documents—murders, robberies, adulteries, stolen cows, lost dogs—all kinds of cases were documented, except for anything related to the Cheng family; not even a single word.

This was very strange.

Even if Old Master Cheng’s commission wasn’t related to Cheng Jiming’s kidnapping but to something else, there should have been a record. The only explanation for such a void was that the records had been taken or destroyed.

It could have been done by Mr. Bai himself or by someone who didn’t want him to continue the investigation…

Because Wu Sheng found a note sandwiched in an inconspicuous poetry notebook that was probably Mr. Bai’s original work.

Luckily, the characters were large and few, so he could barely make them out—Meddlers, die.

The note was signed—Half-fallen plum blossoms in the pond have faded away.

Half-fallen plum blossoms…

Wu Sheng stared at the signature, slowly deciphering a word. “…Hai.”

……

All the clues connected because of this word that surfaced.

The mysteries shrouding the two deaths were gradually clearing, revealing a coherent trail, but—

Wu Sheng pulled out the seal found in Cheng Xiaonan’s study, suspected of being stained with blood, and frowned deeply.

Where exactly was Du Jinnian?

After rushing back to the Cheng family residence, day had broken. The courtyard was already set up for funeral rites, with monks taking their places and servants bustling about.

The news of Old Master Cheng’s resurrection had spread throughout the Cheng family residence overnight; on the way back, Wu Sheng even heard the nearby neighbors discussing it. For outsiders, it was merely a spectacle, but for those within the Cheng mansion, it was a real fear—whether servants or guards, strong or weak—everyone looked frightened, trying to stay as far from the memorial hall as possible. The elder was still lying in there, soon to be buried in his coffin.

Watching the atmosphere, Wu Sheng quietly formed a plan.

He didn’t know where Du Jinnian was, but after investigating this far, he at least needed to shake out the truth—for the unjustly deceased Cheng Jiming—to provide an explanation.

“Mr. Bai, I’ve finally found you—” Accompanied by a loud voice, his teammate walked over openly.

Wu Sheng stood still, watching Qian Ai, dressed in a simple short jacket, approach. “What, your lord is looking for me?”

Qian Ai came up and whispered, “I’m looking for you.”

The courtyard’s noise drowned out their conversation. To bystanders, it looked like a servant speaking with Mr. Bai, but in reality, Lao Qian was passing on the gossip gathered overnight about Cheng Jiming’s second marriage history.

Cheng Jiming’s first wife, Zhou Lanxin, died in childbirth. The daughter survived, but the mother didn’t. Afterwards, Cheng Jiming swore never to remarry, rejecting all matchmakers, until one day, after becoming intoxicated at a social event, he woke up to find Hai Huiping beside him.

Cheng Jiming, a gentle and mannered man, would have taken responsibility for Hai Huiping even without the pressure from the Hai Gang. Thus, Hai Huiping entered the Cheng family. Officially, it was a drunken mistake by Cheng Jiming, but rumors suggested it was a trap set by Hai Huiping. After all, the Hai Gang had attempted to make marriage arrangements several times—clearly Hai Huiping had set her sights on Cheng Jiming first.

Wu Sheng had already pieced together the main story, and Qian Ai’s information added more details.

As Qian Ai blended back into the crowd, Wu Sheng scanned the many monks in the courtyard, locking onto the most agreeable one.

With a look, the young monk approached; with the ongoing chaos, no one paid attention to their movements.

“What do you need me to do?” Xu Wang asked upon arrival.

Wu Sheng smiled. “Aren’t you going to ask about the progress of the mission first?”

Xu Wang lifted his shaved head. “As long as you can eventually submit the paper, the process is illusory.”

[If you like him, then just tackle him and get down to business.]

The inappropriate mantra from a teammate last night flashed through his mind.

Wu Sheng quickly focused, saying, “Indeed, I have a plan and need you to play a key role.”

Xu Wang nodded. “What do I need to do?”

Wu Sheng said, “Become possessed by the spirit of acting.”

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<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 颜凉雨 / Yan Liang Yu

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 162: Hint

Under the faint moonlight shrouded in thin mist, everything appeared hazy and desolate.

Qian Ai remained silent for a long while before asking, “Is your mission to find Du Jinnian?”

Wu Sheng nodded.

Qian Ai looked at him, struggling a bit to say, “Did they specify whether they wanted him alive or dead…?”

Wu Sheng sighed and didn’t answer, as if he also couldn’t clarify.

Qian Ai felt a chill run down his spine. The old man false corpse, the disappeared Du Jinnian, and Second Master Cheng who died last year… These pieces of information just obtained wove into a dark net, casting over the entire Cheng family estate. He couldn’t make heads or tails of it; such information processing definitely required a brain like Wu Sheng’s.

Watching Qian Ai hurry back to the memorial hall, Wu Sheng stood alone in the night for a while longer.

In just this short time, the complex clues formed a network—

1. Three disappearances: Cheng Jiming’s death; Old Master Cheng’s death; Du Jinnian’s disappearance.
2. Three remaining members of the Cheng family: Cheng Xiaoxan; Cheng Jiming’s second wife, Hai Huiping; Cheng Jiming and his first wife’s daughter, Cheng Yixin.
3. Social relations: Du Jinnian was close to Cheng Jiming; Hai Huiping is the younger sister of the young gang leader of the Hai Gang, Hai Yunlong.
4. Doubts:
   • Old master Cheng fell last year and died this year. Is there anything suspicious about this?
   • Cheng Jiming was kidnapped, and the ransom note was denied by the Fushou Gang. Did they really not do it, or are they just denying it?
   • Why did Du Jinnian suddenly visit the Cheng family, and what exactly did he discuss with Cheng Xiaonan in the living room of the small building?

The information gathered was like pearls scattered on the ground, and Wu Sheng needed to find the thread that strung them together.

Returning to the western-style building, unexpectedly, Hai Yunlong came with people.

Wu Sheng didn’t recognize Hai Yunlong, but from the way he brought a group of people with him, the slight resemblance to Hai Huiping in their eyes and brows, and the conversation with Master Jiu, he understood—Fushou Gang was imposing on the Cheng family, and Hai Huiping had called her brother to take charge.

However, what puzzled Wu Sheng was that Hai Yunlong seemed to harbor a greater hatred towards the young man by Master Jiu’s side. His eyes were fixed on the young man’s fair face with a gaze like the fires of hell.

The fair-skinned young man, on the other hand, appeared indifferent, not even looking at Hai Yunlong. He had a calm and self-satisfied demeanor, occasionally yawning.

Amidst the undercurrents, Ying Jiu spotted Wu Sheng standing at the door, hesitating to enter, and immediately became amiable. “Mr. Bai, you went to enjoy the moon, didn’t you?”

If one didn’t look into the depths of Ying Jiu’s eyes, he would seem like a very refined person. Even his teasing was done with a benevolent appearance.

Knowing he had been away for a while, Wu Sheng smiled and accepted the tease without explanation, to avoid making things worse.

Meanwhile, his gaze fell on Hai Yunlong, as if he had just noticed him, raising his eyebrows slightly with a mild surprise.

Hai Yunlong narrowed his eyes, snorting coldly with a sneer. “Mr. Bai.”

“……” Great, another “acquaintance”.

Wu Sheng suspected that this Mr. Bai he had transmigrated in was a social butterfly of Jinmen. Otherwise, why would all these big shots recognize him?

The more one talks, the more mistakes one makes, so facing the two big shots, Wu Sheng remained silent, just politely smiling.

Cheng Xiao Nan took the opportunity to join in the conversation, inviting everyone to sit. Fortunately, the living room sofa was large enough to accommodate the four of them while maintaining a polite distance.

Hai Yunlong left four people standing behind him, and the rest were sent outside, giving his brother-in-law’s family some face.

The long night was dragging on, signifying a sleepless night. The four engaged in an awkward conversation that looked like they were sitting in silent judgment rather than talking.

Ying Jiu and Hai Yunlong, being familiar with the underworld, could sit still, but Cheng Xiaonan, merely a wealthy son, wasn’t so adept at handling pressure. He had his servants bring a whole bottle of foreign wine, and in less than a quarter of an hour, he had refilled his glass several times.

Initially, Hai Yunlong was drinking tea but was tempted by the other’s actions. When Cheng Xiaonan poured another drink, Hai Yunlong shouted to a servant for an empty cup, saying he’d join the young master for a drink.

The servant hurried to comply, but just as he turned to fetch it, Cheng Xiaonan’s glass suddenly dropped to the floor. The thick glass didn’t break but made a dull thud upon landing on the carpet.

Looking at Cheng Xiaonan, his mouth was agape, and he was breathing rapidly with one hand clutching his throat and the other pointing at the half-empty bottle of foreign wine on the table. His eyes were filled with disbelief and terror. “The wine… the wine… is poisoned…”

Hai Yunlong, who had been leaning forward to examine the label on the wine bottle, trying to guess its country of origin, saw Cheng Xiaonan poisoned and instantly retreated, slamming back into the sofa to get as far away as possible!

Wu Sheng instinctively looked at Ying Jiu, who was also looking at him. Their eyes met, each lost in thought.

Cheng Xiaonan suddenly bent over, furiously gagging himself. Within seconds, he vomited out all the wine he drank in the evening until only bile was life. Struggling, he raised his head and hoarsely shouted, “Quick… go find… Dr. Gong… Tell him… it’s… aconite poison…”

As the servants rushed off, Cheng Xiaonan grabbed the teapot on the table, gulping down its contents directly into his throat, truly flushing it out.

After drinking, he put down the teapot, gagged himself again, and continued to induce vomiting.

This cycle of drinking and vomiting resembled a stomach wash. Wu Sheng watched this “proficient self-rescue procedure”, his gaze flickering slightly behind his glasses.

Aconite, a kind of traditional Chinese medicine, can cure diseases if used correctly but is highly poisonous if misused.

Soon, Dr. Gong arrived, equipped as a Western doctor, and from the conversation, it was clear he was an old acquaintance of the Cheng family.

Cheng Xiaonan was coughing and wheezing, barely able to speak. But upon seeing the mess on the floor, Dr. Gong knew he had vomited and immediately had Cheng Xiaonan moved to a room to lie down, then started treatment with injections and IV fluids.

The living room was left with the three parties, and all of their positions were awkward by default—they were imposing on the host, and now the host had been poisoned.

“Was your master drinking medicinal liquor?” Master Ying Jiu suddenly turned and asked the servant beside him, who was already scared stiff.

The servant took a long while to respond, then shook his head vigorously. “No, it was just foreign wine, not soaked with any herbs!”

Master Ying Jiu nodded, tapping his finger lightly on the armrest of the sofa, his gaze shifting to Wu Sheng. “Mr. Bai, don’t you find it strange? How was Master Cheng so sure that he had been poisoned with aconite?”

Wu Sheng indeed found it strange, but since he was unclear about Ying Jiu’s intentions, he cautiously said, “It’s common for people to be poisoned by aconite-infused liquor. It’s not surprising for Master Cheng to have seen it and recognized it.”

“What do you mean by that?” Hai Yunlong, naturally speaking up for his sister’s family, said, “Could Cheng Xiaonan have poisoned himself? Is he tired of living?”

Suddenly, a shadow flashed at the stairway.

Wu Sheng instinctively looked over. At the corner of the stairs leading to the second floor, a little girl was hiding in the shadows.

Wu Sheng couldn’t make out her face. He could only see her medium-length hair and, in the darkness, a pair of cold, piercing eyes.

Noticing Wu Sheng’s gaze, the child turned and ran upstairs, her footsteps almost inaudible.

Cheng Jiming’s daughter, ten years old this year—Wu Sheng recalled the information collected by Qian Ai.

About half an hour later, Dr. Gong came out of the bedroom and told them that the amount of aconitum poison Cheng Xiaonan ingested was likely small, and with the correct method of inducing vomiting, he was out of danger but needed to rest in bed and continue with IV fluids to cleanse the toxins as soon as possible.

After saying this, he also kindly advised, “Medicines are poisons in their own right; not everything should be infused in liquor.”

There was no aconite-infused liquor to begin with; it was just ordinary foreign liquor that had been poisoned.

This fact was already clear, but Ying Jiu and Hai Yunlong remained silent. Wu Sheng then changed what he was about to say to, “Dr. Gong, let me walk you out.”

Dr. Gong insisted it wasn’t necessary, but Wu Sheng still escorted him out of the building, all the way to the front yard.

However, just before reaching the gate, Wu Sheng took a turn, effectively dragging him to the memorial hall under the guise of using reason (intimidation) and emotion (enticement), half-forcing him to examine the corpse of the Old Master Cheng.

Wu Sheng initially suspected he might know some inside information, but after observing, he felt it was unlikely, thinking this person was probably just a doctor who had dealings with the Cheng family, so he decided to take a risk.

In the quiet of the night, the vast memorial hall was empty—no one dared approach the recently “resurrected” old master—except for only a few white candles, a table full of offerings, and the lonely figure of Old Master Cheng.

Doctor Gong couldn’t perform a real autopsy; he only examined the eyes, ears, mouth, nose, and limbs, but the more he looked, the graver his expression became. Finally, he said, “Mr. Bai, you might be right. Old Master Cheng likely died from poisoning.”

“Possibly?” Wu Sheng wanted “certainty”.

Doctor Gong shook his head. “Unless we analyze the gastric contents, no doctor can make a definitive diagnosis with just the naked eye.”

After sending Dr. Gong off, Wu Sheng pondered as he slowly walked back to the building. Just as he approached the entrance, he was pulled into the bushes by someone. Before he saw the face, he noticed the bald head.

Wu Sheng unconsciously curved his lips. His heart, which had been tense since Cheng Xiaonan’s poisoning, finally felt a breeze of relief. “You’re not sleeping properly. What are you wandering around for?”

Xu Wang said righteously, “How could I leave you alone to follow the mission thread?”

Wu Sheng laughed, deliberately asking, “Then let me hear; how can you help?”

“……” After a moment of silence, Xu Wang tiptoed and pecked his cheek. “Good luck?”

Wu Sheng felt this encouragement was good, and it was worth continuing.

“Do you suspect Cheng Xiaonan poisoned Old Master Cheng and that the poison was the same as what he was just poisoned with?” After hearing Wu Sheng’s summary, Xu Wang understood his meaning.

“Yes,” Wu Sheng said. “Otherwise, he couldn’t have reacted so swiftly and accurately after being poisoned.”

“But why would he harm his own father? And who poisoned him? What does all this have to do with Du Jinnian’s disappearance?” Xu Wang was still confused.

“We don’t know yet,” Wu Sheng honestly admitted. “But I always feel that the key lies with Cheng Xiaonan. The last person Du Jinnian saw was also him.”

Xu Wang asked, “What’s he doing now?”

Wu Sheng replied, “Lying in the bedroom with an IV drip.”

Xu Wang: “……”

Wu Sheng reassured, “Don’t worry. The Fushou Gang and the Hai Gang both have people guarding. If anything happens to Cheng Xiaonan, those who insisted on staying here tonight can’t escape responsibility, so they are more concerned than anyone.”

Xu Wang was surprised. “How do you know I was worried?”

Wu Sheng smiled. “Because according to typical detective movies, the prime suspect, by this time, should have been killed by the murderer.”

Xu Wang: “……”

There was no movement from Master Yan Yi; he had already gone to sleep. Xu Wang mainly came to ask about Wu Sheng’s situation and to offer some help, but since Wu Sheng himself had no clues, he told Xu Wang to go back to rest and then returned to the building himself.

Just as he reached the entrance of the building, he saw a servant sneaking around behind a column, peeping out at a Fushou Gang brother smoking not far away. He was so focused that he didn’t notice Wu Sheng walking straight towards him.

Only when Wu Sheng approached the column did he let out a startled “ah”, as if caught in the act of wrongdoing.

The Fushou Gang brother, hearing the noise, looked over, puzzled.

Wu Sheng saw no one in the living room and directly asked, “Where are Master Jiu and the young gang leader?”

The servant, taken aback by his question, stuttered for a moment before finding his voice. “Resting, resting.”

“They didn’t leave?”

“No, they’re resting in the guest room.” The servant finally spoke a bit more fluently.

With the host poisoned and unable to rise, the guests indeed had no reason to continue chatting over tea. However, it seemed they were determined to root themselves in the Cheng family.

After a moment’s thought, Wu Sheng said, “I’m also tired. Could you arrange a guest room for me?”

“Of course, sir. This way, please.” The servant immediately led the way.

Wu Sheng followed him to a guesthouse near the small building. Until they were alone, Wu Sheng suddenly asked, “Why were you looking at him?”

The servant stopped in his tracks, his expression a mix of fear and confusion. “Ah?”

Wu Sheng looked at him steadily, this time affirmatively. “You know that Fushou Gang brother.”

The servant shook his head vigorously. “I don’t know. I don’t know!”

“Okay.” Wu Sheng shrugged. “I’ll ask Young Master Hai to inquire. You’ll probably recognize him then.”

Wu Sheng could tell; the entire Cheng family estate was quite wary of Hai Yunlong. If Master Ying Jiu was an unwelcome guest, Hai Yunlong was more like a domineering presence from the mother’s family.

“Don’t, sir. I really don’t know anything. I just, just… caught a glimpse of it…”

Wu Sheng’s heart tightened, his tone becoming unconsciously stern. “Caught a glimpse of what?”

The servant was on the verge of tears. “Last year, after the second master was kidnapped, the kidnappers sent a child to deliver the ransom note… I was the one who opened the door… When I received the note, I saw him peeking from the alley. Our eyes met, and he ran away… Sir, you must not say it was me who told you… The Fushou Gang kills without blinking an eye…”

After repeatedly reassuring and comforting the servant, Wu Sheng sat in the dim and cold guest room, deep in thought, for a long time.

Could it really be the Fushou Gang that kidnapped Cheng Jiming, demanded a ransom, and then killed him?

He had always thought not, but that “testimony” just now made him waver.

“Did the Owl give you the task to investigate the case?” In the quiet night breeze, a voice slipped through the door crack, and then the person pushed the door and entered, as naturally as if entering their own home.

Wu Sheng stared blankly at the young man by Master Ying Jiu’s side, who sauntered in and casually sat opposite him, realizing, “Xiao Xue?”

“You’re wearing glasses now.” Chi Yingxue picked up an orange from the fruit plate on the table and started peeling it for himself.

“When did you recognize me?” Wu Sheng was curious.

Chi Ying Xue popped a segment of orange into his mouth. “When you entered the courtyard with a group of monks.”

“And then?” Wu Sheng didn’t believe he recognized him at that time, as he hadn’t spoken at all while the Fushou Gang was confronting the Cheng family from the perimeter.

Chi Yingxue frowned and tilted his head to look at him, as if to say, “It’s so obvious. Why do I even need to explain?”

“You and one of the young monks were exchanging glances, using the same set of eyes you use when you flirt with the captain.”

Wu Sheng: “……”

Which set is that?!

“Do you like the captain?” Out of nowhere, he threw out this question.

Without hesitation, Wu Sheng replied, “Of course.”

“If you like him, then just tackle him and get down to business.” Chi Yingxue stared at him, asking very sincerely, “Isn’t it frustrating to just satisfy yourself with looks?”

Wu Sheng: “……”

There wasn’t a hint of indecency in his eyes. It was just a straightforward, almost innocent question.

But it was precisely this kind that it was harder to answer!

“Hm?” Not getting an answer right away, Chi Yingxue urged.

Wu Sheng surrendered, throwing out the truth. “I didn’t before, but now that you ask like this…”

It all went unsaid.

Chi Yingxue was very satisfied with this answer that matched his expectations.

“By the way, Qian Ai is also here.” Wu Sheng remembered he had forgotten about a comrade. “He’s a Cheng family servant, now guarding the memorial hall.”

Chi Yingxue nodded and continued to look at him, as if waiting for something.

Wu Sheng adjusted his glasses; behind the lenses, it was all confusion.

Chi Yingxue couldn’t wait any longer and directly asked, “What about Xiao Sijin?”

Wu Sheng then realized. “Still don’t know. Qian Ai said he saw a thief who might be him but didn’t catch him as the person ran away.”

Chi Yingxue threw the orange back into the fruit plate, not eating anymore. His delicate eyebrows wrinkled out of shape. “We’re all here, and he’s not. Did the Owl glitch out again?”

“……” Wu Sheng lamented that he was inferior to this domineering logic of attributing everything that doesn’t go as planned to a bug.

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<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 颜凉雨 / Yan Liang Yu

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 161: Clues

Wu Sheng and Qian Ai were also heading back to the Cheng family’s residence, so they joined the procession of monks along the way.

Leading the monks was the abbot of the Guajia Temple, Master Yan Yi.

Not just any family could request the presence of the abbot from the Guajia Temple, but the Cheng family was a prominent household in Tianjin, and naturally, their funeral arrangements had to be conducted with dignity and propriety.

“This is the situation. I wonder what Master thinks?” After introducing himself and successfully joining the monks, Wu Sheng shared with Master Yan Yi the story of Old Master Cheng’s supposed “false corpse”.

Master Yan Yi, with his long white hair and eyebrows, looked wise and spirited. His gaze was insightful yet serene. “Death ends all entanglements.”

He spoke only these words and then remained silent.

Death ends all entanglements?

So, does it mean that anything happening afterward has nothing to do with Old Master Cheng?

Is this implying that the “false corpse” was the work of the living?

Or is there no implication, and it’s merely a statement from a Buddhist perspective?

Wu Sheng’s mind was filled with various “interpretations”, but he couldn’t come to a conclusion about which was correct. Master Yan Yi, looking straight ahead and focusing on the journey, obviously had no intention of elaborating further.

For some reason, Wu Sheng always felt that there was something more hidden in Master Yan Yi’s eyes besides wisdom and serenity. But being inexperienced himself, he found it impossible to see through an old monk who had lived twice as long as he had.

Qian Ai walked beside Wu Sheng, occasionally turning his head to look at Wu Sheng, then at Master Yan Yi, and back again, finding the conversation between the experts too difficult to understand.

Following them was a young monk who had been with the group for some time.

Xu Wang had noticed the two men at the front of the procession from the start. Appearing out of nowhere, getting cozy with the abbot, and then mysteriously joining the procession seemed key to some quest.

Deciding quickly, he sneaked to the front of the procession, hoping to overhear their conversation for clues to a mission or to meet up with teammates.

But as soon as he got close, he heard a thrilling story about an old man’s corpse rising in the fog and dashing through the streets.

He didn’t understand the sentence later spoken by Master Yan Yi, but the thoughtful silhouette of Mr. Glasses always felt both strange and familiar to him.

Sneaking to the side to get a better look at Mr. Glasses’ thoughtful profile, his feeling of familiarity grew stronger.

Perhaps his staring was too obvious, as Mr. Glasses sharply turned his head toward him.

Their gazes met in the air, sparking a connection.

Wu Sheng adjusted his glasses, scanning the nosy young monk from head to toe with an X-ray-like gaze.

Swallowing nervously, Xu Wang instinctively touched his head, unsure if it was out of nervousness or something else.

Wu Sheng observed the young monk’s rosy cheeks and white teeth for a while but ultimately focused on his bald head.

Resisting the urge to cover his entire head, Xu Wang felt warmth under Wu Sheng’s touch, not resisting it.

Wu Sheng tilted his head slightly and smiled at him, with a little joy, a little pride, and a little… interest.

The next second, Wu Sheng suddenly pulled Qian Ai out of the group and led him into a small alley.

Master Yan Yi, focused solely on moving forward, didn’t notice that the two accompanying laymen had left the group.

“What are you pulling me here for? Aren’t we going back to the Cheng family?” As soon as they entered the alley, Qian Ai finally got a chance to speak and immediately asked.

Wu Sheng gestured for him to be quiet with a “shh” and indicated to wait.

Qian Ai could hardly calm down but still waited.

Less than thirty seconds later, a figure nimbly entered the alley.

Wu Sheng saw the young monk peeking in, smiled slightly, opened his arms, and waited for an embrace.

Qian Ai was baffled, and even more so when the young monk, instead of running into Wu Sheng’s arms, stood firm and asked proudly, “Be diligent and cautious?”

Wu Sheng responded smoothly, “Study diligently and innovate.”

The young monk then laughed, looking like he wanted to jump in, but hesitated upon noticing someone else standing nearby.

Unable to resist any longer, Wu Sheng, who had his arms already open, moved them to pat the young monk’s head.

Xu Wang, having his head frozen all the way, found Wu Sheng’s touch quite warm and didn’t resist.

After patting a few times and feeling somewhat satisfied, Wu Sheng introduced, with a smile, “This is Lao Qian.”

Hearing this, Xu Wang was taken aback, then looked at the man beside him, who indeed seemed like a teammate, and immediately became curious. “Who have you transmigrated into?”

Hearing this tone, Qian Ai finally realized. “Captain?”

The suspects were only three: Xiao Xue, Xiao Kuang, Xu Wang. Combining this with the advisor’s affectionate gaze, the answer was clear.

“Wait.” Qian Ai remembered something. “Did you two just exchange a code? That diligence and innovation thing?”

“Yes,” Xu Wang said matter-of-factly. “How else could I be sure of his identity?”

Qian Ai: “But when did you guys come up with this code?”

Xu Wang: “No need to come up with it. You should know it too.”

Qian Ai: “Where would I know it from?!”

Wu Sheng: “It’s our high school motto.”

Xu Wang: “You forgot?”

Qian Ai: “……”

He had never remembered it to begin with!

So, that’s why some could be class representatives, and he was just an ordinary member; there were reasons for everything…

The three quickly exchanged information, with Xu Wang having little to share, so it was mostly Wu Sheng talking, with Qian Ai adding details.

While talking, Wu Sheng pulled Xu Wang into his arms, occasionally patting his head as if he was a mascot.

After finishing, Wu Sheng looked down at the captain in his arms and gave his transmigration a fair assessment. “You’ve gotten smaller.”

Xu Wang: “……”

The young monk was indeed shorter and slimmer than Xu Wang, so in terms of both age and physique, he had “gotten smaller”, but… it felt awkward to hear!

Xu Wang, never one to be outdone, immediately retorted, “You’ve become…”

And then there was no follow-up.

The person Wu Sheng had transmigrated into, Mr. Bai, was handsome, broad-shouldered, and tall, with an aura of a returned student, even having a scholarly and abstinent filter. No matter how one looked, he was attractive, leaving Xu Wang at a loss for words!

Qian Ai couldn’t stand it anymore and quietly left the alley.

Whether it was Mr. Bai holding the young monk or the advisor hugging the captain, it caused him immense distress on this chilly night, even more so than Old Master Cheng’s false corpse.

……

When the three rejoined the procession of monks, they had arrived at the Cheng family’s front gate.

The Cheng family’s courtyard was brightly lit and noisy—it was in chaos.

Old Master Cheng’s false corpse and disappearance over the wall had caused a commotion, and Wu Sheng thought this as he entered, only to find the situation even more complicated—Old Master Cheng’s body had been returned by a group of rather unfriendly-looking people and was lying on the ground inside the courtyard. Instead of moving Old Master Cheng back to the memorial hall, the Cheng family was confronting the group that had returned the body.

Perhaps they were too frightened to touch it, fearing the corpse might come back to life again.

“Master Jiu, does your Fushou Gang intend to ruin our Cheng family?” The man standing as the head of the Cheng family was naturally Cheng Xiaonan. He was dressed in Western pajamas with a Chinese-style cloak thrown over, which was rather a unique look. He was probably woken up by the servants and hastily put on the cloak before coming out to investigate.

Compared to Cheng Xiaonan, the man known as Master Jiu appeared much more composed. “Mr. Cheng, we were just walking down the street when your family’s Old Master fell from the sky. We recognized him and immediately brought him back respectfully. Your words might cool the hearts of the Fushou Gang brothers.”

“Ying Jiu! Stop your crocodile tears!” From the Cheng side, a woman in her late twenties, surrounded by servants and dressed more neatly, spoke up sharply. “For what happened to Second Master, the Cheng family and the Hai Gang have a bone to pick with you!”

Master Jiu’s smile faded, but he remained calm, exerting a sense of pressure without anger. “I have told Old Master Cheng before, and I will say it again today.” He looked around the courtyard as if addressing everyone. “The matter of Second Master Cheng has nothing to do with the Fushou Gang. We also want to find out who harmed him…”

“And,” his last words were directed solely at the woman, “don’t make me say it a third time.”

The woman still looked resentful but hesitated and ultimately didn’t speak again.

“Sir…” The gatekeeper leading the monks into the courtyard finally found a gap to speak.

This broke the deadlock.

Cheng Xiaonan immediately ordered some braver servants to carry Old Master Cheng back to the memorial hall, then warmly greeted Master Yan Yi, calling for the tea server to come over. Eventually, the tea server led the monks to rest in the side courtyard, discussing the next day’s rituals with Master Yan Yi along the way.

Taking advantage of the chaos as the monk procession moved again, Wu Sheng quietly instructed Xu Wang to keep an eye on Master Yan Yi—he had a feeling Master Yan Yi knew something.

Thus, Xu Wang, with a mission, followed the monks and disappeared in the direction of the side courtyard.

Qian Ai also took the opportunity to return to the memorial hall, carrying out the task assigned by his advisor—to inquire about the Cheng family’s situation from the servants; the more detailed and gossipy, the better.

Soon, only the Cheng family, the Fushou Gang members, and Mr. Bai were left in the courtyard.

Both groups were large, leaving Wu Sheng, a lone figure, immediately standing out and attracting all eyes.

Wu Sheng had no choice but to offer an awkward smile and explain to the Cheng side. “I went to chase the Old Master but didn’t catch up. Instead, I ran into Master Yan Yi and followed him back.” He then turned to Master Jiu, feeling he should say something, but couldn’t find the words.

Master Jiu watched him for almost a minute, finally realizing that Wu Sheng might not start the conversation and gracefully stepped forward. “Mr. Bai.”

Wu Sheng was taken aback. His first instinct was to ask, “Master Jiu knows me?” but immediately realized that would give him away and quickly went along. “Master Jiu.”

The two “acquaintances” nodded at each other, and the situation seemed to shift from a three-way standoff to a two-party alliance. Cheng Xiaonan, in his unique mix of Western and Chinese attire, couldn’t stand it any longer and cleared his throat. “Mr. Bai, everything you wished to know has been fully explained by the Cheng family.”

The implication was clear: You can leave now.

Wu Sheng, however, looked innocently puzzled and rooted to the spot.

“Mr. Cheng,” Master Jiu said with a light smile, taking control of the conversation. “It’s late and chilly. Let’s not talk here in the courtyard.”

Cheng Xiaonan’s face turned as dark as the night, matching the surrounding darkness.

But Master Jiu remained leisurely, adding insult to injury. “The great Cheng family can’t even spare a cup of hot tea?”

……

Wu Sheng, riding on Master Jiu’s coattails, entered the Cheng family’s living room for the second time.

Why did Old Master Cheng’s body end up in front of Master Jiu? And what was Master Jiu’s purpose in staying? With so many mysteries, Wu Sheng could only wait and see how things unfolded.

The Cheng family mansion was a blend of Chinese and Western styles. The front courtyard retained the old house’s appearance, but as one walked further in, a Western-style building emerged, rivaling the grand mansions of 5^th Avenue.

The women had returned to the inner quarters, leaving only Cheng Xiaonan to entertain them in the small building’s living room.

Wu Sheng found that Master Jiu indeed had the demeanor of a major figure in the underworld—he had only brought one person into the living room, leaving the rest of the Fushou Gang members outside. He was domineering when necessary yet showed perfect manners when appropriate—truly a formidable character.

The person Master Jiu brought in was a young man in his early twenties. He looked handsome, with fair skin and a facial injury, but dressed very decently… almost exactly like Master Jiu.

He didn’t sit down but stood next to Master Jiu, silent yet impossible to ignore.

As soon as they were seated, tea and some whiskey were served.

Cheng Xiaonan lifted his glass and casually asked the guests, “You don’t mind, do you?”

As the host preferred whiskey and didn’t force anyone to join him, the guests naturally had no objections.

So, two drank tea and one drank whiskey, with occasional awkward attempts at conversation, creating a momentarily harmonious scene.

That was until Wu Sheng saw a half-face appearing and disappearing outside the window.

Finding an excuse, Wu Sheng left the small building for a hidden spot where visibility was poor to meet up with his teammate.

Wu Sheng: “Did you find anything out?”

Qian Ai: “I did. The woman who shouted at Master Jiu earlier is Second Master Cheng’s wife, Hai Huiping, the daughter of the Hai Gang leader. She has an older brother, Hai Yunlong, the young leader of the Hai Gang.”

Wu Sheng: “Hai Gang?”

Qian Ai: “Yeah, an organization similar to the Fushou Gang, you know.”

Wu Sheng: “……”

Qian Ai: “Cheng Xiaonan’s wife died years ago, leaving no children; Cheng Jiming, that is, Second Master Cheng, died last year, leaving behind a ten-year-old daughter and Hai Huiping, the stepmother.”

Wu Sheng: “Stepmother?”

Qian Ai: “Yeah, his daughter was with his first wife, who died of illness before he remarried Hai Huiping.”

Wu Sheng, having a rough understanding of the Cheng family’s current situation from Xue Qingshan, knew the Cheng family now consisted of a master, a widow of the second master, and a daughter of the second master.

But since Xue Qingshan and the Cheng family hardly interacted and Du Jinnian didn’t talk much about the Cheng family, further information was scarce.

“How did Cheng Jiming die?” The confrontation in the courtyard earlier was what Wu Sheng was most concerned about. Both Cheng Xiaonan and Hai Huiping mentioned Cheng Jiming’s death was related to the Fushou Gang, but Master Jiu insisted it wasn’t. The key phrase here was “caused his death.”

There must be more to Cheng Jiming’s death.

“Ah?” Qian Ai opened his mouth. “How did he die…?”

A second later, the servant “Zhuzi” disappeared.

A little more than ten minutes later, he returned.

Qian Ai: “I managed to find out through indirect questioning. He was kidnapped, and a ransom was demanded!”

Wu Sheng: “By the Fushou Gang?”

Qian Ai: “That’s what the Cheng family says, but it seems the Fushou Gang denies it. Anyway, the Cheng family paid the ransom, but Cheng Jiming still died. His body had been discarded on a common grave for who knows how long… Quite tragic.”

Wu Sheng fell silent.

“From what they say, the Hai Gang made noise for half a year, but in the end, they didn’t really act against the Fushou Gang.” Qian Ai sighed. “You’d think Cheng Jiming, being the Hai Gang’s son-in-law and dying so miserably, the Hai Gang would react, right?”

Wu Sheng shook his head. “It’s not about enduring; it’s about having to. Didn’t you see the exchange between Hai Huiping and Master Jiu? If they really clashed, the Hai Gang couldn’t handle the Fushou Gang, and they might even suffer more losses.”

Qian Ai, looking at the occasional reflective glasses in the darkness, genuinely admired, “Advisor, you’re too into your role.”

From his demeanor to his lines, everything perfectly matched the era of the Republic of China. How did he manage that?

“By the way.” Wu Sheng, too focused on the mission, unusually ignored the praise. “What about Old Master Cheng? How did he die?”

Qian Ai: “……”

A second later, the servant “Zhuzi” disappeared.

Fifteen minutes later, he returned.

Qian Ai: “Illness… He died of illness…”

Wu Sheng: “Take your time, catch your breath.”

Qian Ai: “After Cheng Jiming died last year, he fell ill and had been bedridden until now. He probably couldn’t hold on anymore.”

Wu Sheng: “What illness?”

Qian Ai: “There wasn’t any specific illness; it was just a big blow from his son’s death, and then he just declined day by day. But…”

Wu Sheng: “But what?”

Qian Ai: “A servant said it was due to evil spirits.”

Wu Sheng: “What does that mean?”

Qian Ai: “He just mentioned it in passing; I didn’t get to ask in detail.”

Wu Sheng: “……”

Qian Ai: “……”

Wu Sheng: “……”

Qian Ai: “Okay, I’ve noted this question. Advisor, do you have any other questions? Can you write them down for me, so I can ask them all at once?”

Wu Sheng felt a bit guilty, but many questions arose based on newly acquired information, and he really couldn’t help it.

Fortunately, that was about it.

“Just three questions: one, why do they say Old Master Cheng was haunted by evil spirits; two, who in the Cheng family was closest to Du Jinnian; three, how long did Du Jinnian stay at the Cheng family two days ago, and when did he leave?”

This time, it took less than ten minutes for Qian Ai to return, either because his indirect questioning skills had improved dramatically or because the servants were inspired to unleash their gossiping spirits, offering information without needing to be prodded.

Qian Ai: “Last winter, not long after Cheng Jiming was buried, Old Master Cheng slipped in front of his own door, possibly due to his age and fragile bones, and never got up from bed again. The reason for the fall was water spilled by a servant in front of his door, which turned to ice. In the end, they couldn’t find who was responsible. Coupled with Cheng Jiming’s tragic death, rumors began that the Cheng family was cursed by evil spirits, leading to continuous misfortune. Now with Old Master Cheng’s death, the rumors seem even more believable…”

Wu Sheng: “The second question…”

Qian Ai: “I was just getting to that. Du Jinnian was closest to Cheng Jiming. When Cheng Jiming was alive, he often visited, but after his death, Du Jinnian almost stopped coming.”

Wu Sheng: “But he came two days ago.”

Qian Ai: “Yes, he did come, and he spoke with Cheng Xiaonan in the living room where you were sitting. At that time, Old Master Cheng had just passed away, and the Cheng family was in disarray. Cheng Xiaonan didn’t entertain him for long before continuing with the funeral arrangements.”

Wu Sheng: “And then? Did Du Jinnian leave?”

Qian Ai: “I don’t know.”

Wu Sheng: “You don’t know?”

Qian Ai: “Externally, they said Du Jinnian left after having tea, but according to the servants, no one saw him leave the Cheng family.”

Wu Sheng: “What does that mean? Did the man just vanish into thin air? Vanish inside the Cheng family mansion?”

Qian Ai: “Yes.”

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Author: 颜凉雨 / Yan Liang Yu

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 160: The False Corpse

When Kuang Jinxin emerged from the secret path in the rockery with his master, fog had descended on the Cheng family’s large courtyard.

The fog made the old house eerily cold, and the sight of white mourning fabrics everywhere made it feel even more chilling.

Carrying a square, large box on his back, Kuang Jinxin followed his master through the rockery towards the courtyard wall, resembling a saint wearing holy robes, intending to slip away unnoticed.

They had already succeeded.

The box was filled with antiques and calligraphy paintings. Although Kuang Jinxin wasn’t deeply versed in these items, the fact that his master chose this box over rooms full of silver and jewelry made it clear to him which was more valuable.

However, there was something strange.

His master was as familiar with the Cheng residence as if it were his own home. Not a step was wasted; they went straight into the secret passage and into the “wealth center” of the house. Moreover, upon entering, his master didn’t search around but locked onto this box immediately, instructing him to carry it and leave without a second thought.

The goal was too specific, the route too clear.

“Who’s there?” Suddenly, a voice questioned from the bushes nearby.

Startled, Kuang Jinxin instinctively paused, only to see his master had already scaled the wall in a flash.

Kuang Jinxin had no time to sweat; he dashed to the base of the wall, hoping to use his momentum to kick off it and climb up…

As Qian Ai rushed out, he saw a young man with a large box on his back clumsily climbing the wall, moving so slowly and with such difficulty that he almost wanted to help lift him.

He had been driven here by the smell of the latrines, seeking a breath of fresh air in this idyllic spot, only to stumble upon unusual footsteps as he entered the bushes.

The sight before him made it clear. “Stop, thief—”

Shouting out a phrase in old-style slang, Qian Ai immediately felt as if he were transported back to the Kaifeng Mansion, as if the spirits of dynastic warriors and the legendary figures Zhang Long and Zhao Hu* were by his side. With a tiger’s stride, he charged forward and, without a second word, grabbed the leg of the little thief!

*They are bodyguards and investigators of Justice Bao, responsible for carrying the guillotine once Justice Bao sentences the criminal to death.

Kuang Jinxin had almost reached the top of the wall, about to succeed, when he felt a sharp pain in his ankle.

Looking down, he saw a dark face with bright eyes, fierce like a little tiger.

My apologies.

Kuang Jinxin silently apologized in his mind before kicking out at the face to avoid eye contact.

Qian Ai had anticipated the thief to pull his leg back, not expecting a kick. Caught off guard, he took a direct hit. Pain aside, hitting the face was a no-go, fueling his anger. He blurted out without thinking, “Fuck, you really kicked—”

At this exclamation, Kuang Jinxin froze.

Looking down again, the face seemed familiar.

“Qian Ge?” Kuang Jinxin murmured softly, unsure, and just as he voiced this, his master, already over the wall, pulled him down.

These words, mixed with the noise of his landing, puzzled Qian Ai, swirling in the foggy confusion.

Criminal record?

Lots of money?

Qian Ge*?

*Clarity: Hearing Kuang Jinxin say “Qian Ge”, Qian Ai is going through his brain thinking about what he had just heard (as if he had misheard it): criminal record [qian ke] (前科), lots of money [qian duo] (钱多).

In this world, except for Xiao Kuang, no one else would call him Qian Ge. But… could it be such a coincidence? And even if it was indeed Xiao Kuang, how could he recognize Qian Ai at a glance? The word “fuck” wasn’t his alone to use; the captain, the advisor, Xiao Xue—anyone could have said it.

Qian Ai looked up at the wall, tempted to jump over and ask for clarity.

But the fading footsteps beyond the wall told him the thief wasn’t alone, and they had already escaped far.

“What are you doing here?!” A middle-aged man came over, cursing. “One less person by the memorial hall makes an odd number. Breaking the rules and causing trouble, can you afford that?”

Qian Ai looked away, smiling apologetically, not because he was easygoing but because he had grown immune to the man’s nagging after waking up and having to listen to it 80% of the time.

This man was a tea server hired by the Cheng family, skilled in managing both joyous and sorrowful events, knowledgeable in all rituals and customs, from preparing the body to funeral procedures, orchestrating each step.

On the way back to the memorial hall, the tea server’s constant chatter, mainly complaints, became clear to Qian Ai—they had visitors for mourning.

“I’ve never seen such disregard for rules. Who mourns before the body is prepared? And at this hour, the sons in mourning need rest too. Who’s to ‘accompany the wake’? Who’s to ‘thank for mourning’…”

Qian Ai, half-understanding, nodded along, knowing agreement was usually safe.

Returning to the spirit shed, they found a young man in a Western suit and gold-rimmed glasses paying his respects to the portrait of Old Master Cheng.

The tea server’s demeanor softened, despite the breach of etiquette, welcoming the visitor and guiding him through the mourning process.

After the ceremony, before the tea server could escort the visitor out, the young man asked, “Can I have a moment to speak with you?”

The tea server was stunned for a moment and didn’t understand what he meant, but he still followed him to the side.

Qian Ai stood still, unable to hear the conversation between the two, but his eyes never left the young man.

For some reason, he felt that the young man’s gesture of pushing up his glasses was particularly elegant, wise, composed, and, well, pretentiously cool. But it wasn’t just any pretentious coolness; it was a kind that exuded an irritating air, a vibe that was both annoyingly familiar and itching.

“Zhuzi…” Suddenly, a servant beside him tugged at his sleeve.

Qian Ai’s rare moment of inspiration was interrupted, and he looked over irritably. “What?”

The servant was pale with fear, looking in the direction behind them. “Do you see that… Is that… the old master… floating?!”

The last words were uttered in such a fright that they didn’t even sound human anymore.

A chill ran down Qian Ai’s neck, and he immediately turned around to follow the servant’s pointing direction.

Then, he felt a chill from his hair down to the soles of his feet.

In the depths of the mist, a figure was floating, occasionally moving into less dense fog, revealing a dead face under the moonlight.

Qian Ai glanced at the “person” floating in the distance, then back at the portrait in the memorial hall, going back and forth, back and forth… Wasn’t this Old Master Cheng, who was supposed to be lying on the leisure bed in the memorial hall?

“It’s a false corpse*! Ahhhhh!” Another servant at the memorial hall screamed out, not sure who made such a noise, echoing through the silent Cheng family courtyard like a mix of firecrackers, skyrockets, flashbangs, and magic bullets.

*Ancient superstition, where it is said that when a person dies, there’s still a breath of air left in them, which can possess an animal that disturbs their corpse. The corpse will temporarily resurrect but can’t sustain itself and will then officially die (thus calling it a false (resurrected) corpse).

The first to react was that young man. He ignored the tea server and dashed towards the “dead person” floating in the depths of the mist!

Qian Ai, unsure of what came over him, felt a rush to his head and followed suit!

The young man ran ahead, he followed behind, and Old Master Cheng, as if aware of the pursuit, floated faster and faster, eventually even passing over the courtyard wall!

Without saying a word, the young man climbed towards the top of the wall!

Qian Ai was too familiar with this place, having been kicked here not long ago. At that time, he hadn’t had the chance to confirm the look in the eyes and was only left with the imprint of a shoe sole on half of his face. This time, he couldn’t miss the opportunity again—

“Someone used [Team Reunion] on you. If you don’t understand, just ignore me and keep climbing…”

Amidst a string of mumblings, the person already sitting on top of the wall froze.

Wu Sheng was just focusing on questioning the tea server and completely ignored the servants around him. His teammate, who had seemingly transmigrated, blended too well into the darkness of the night, just like the men in black from Detective Conan, with his features entirely merging into the shadows.

But now, he understood completely, his voice was filled with genuine joy. “Lao Qian!”

“Wu Sheng?” Compared to his advisor’s certainty, Qian Ai was still a bit hesitant.

“Who else would chase after the old master’s fake corpse but me?” Wu Sheng sighed. The current development caught him off guard, but time was of the essence. “Hurry up and come over. He’s headed east. Let’s chase together!”

Qian Ai didn’t hesitate at all, immediately joining Wu Sheng to leap over the courtyard wall and chase into the depths of the alley.

During the chase, Qian Ai finally understood Wu Sheng’s mission—to find the missing Du Jinnian.

As for why they ended up at the Cheng residence, it was because the client, Xue Qingshan, mentioned that the last place Du Jinnian was seen before his disappearance was at the Cheng family’s home.

The Du and Cheng families had been friends for generations, with Du Jinnian frequently visiting the Cheng residence. Xue Qingshan didn’t have much interaction with the Cheng family, but he had a good impression of his friend’s friend. Unfortunately, it was at the Cheng residence where Du Jinnian disappeared. Of course, Xue Qingshan had approached the Cheng family, but by then, the old master was already gravely ill. He was received by the eldest son of the Cheng family, Cheng Xiaonan, who confirmed that Du Jinnian did visit that day but left after having a cup of tea, knowing nothing else.

Wu Sheng had then hurried to the Cheng residence to investigate.

By the time all this was explained, Qian Ai was already out of breath, but there was one question he had to ask, “How could you recognize me as the servant at a glance? It could have been the captain, Xiao Kuang, or Xiao Xue, right?”

Wu Sheng glanced quickly at his teammate’s coarse clothes, worn shoes, and the face that read “life is hard”…

“Cough, it was just intuition. It’s very subtle, hard to describe…”

……

In a secluded back alley.

On a dark, murderous night with high winds, the thin fog couldn’t cover the smell of blood.

Hai Yunlong kicked a person towards Ying Jiu, who was tightly bound and had been tortured so badly that there wasn’t a good spot left on him. He was barely breathing, rolling on the ground like a blood gourd.

“Master Jiu, here’s the person back to you. I might have gone a bit too far, but he’s still alive,” Hai Yunlong said with a smile, wiping the blood off his shoe on the ground as if kicking that person had dirtied his shoe.

The brothers of the Fushou Gang standing behind Ying Jiu immediately stepped forward, veins bulging, barely restraining themselves from starting a fight.

Hai Yunlong’s followers immediately mimicked their stance, not giving an inch.

The atmosphere between the two sides became tense.

Until Ying Jiu said calmly, “Thank you, young gang leader.”

Following his words, the person on the ground was quickly put on a stretcher brought by the brothers of the Fushou Gang and carried away for treatment, leaving the remaining brothers on site.

Hai Yunlong tilted his head to look at Ying Jiu for a while, then smirked without a smile. “His life is still there, but my brother’s life—” he suddenly spread his hands, jokingly, “is gone.”

Ying Jiu gave a signal with his eyes.

Chi Yingxue, with his hands tied behind his back, was pushed out.

Ying Jiu touched his sleeve and said calmly, “A life for a life. Our Fushou Gang always abides by the rules.”

Hai Yunlong glanced at Chi Yingxue, then back at Ying Jiu, confused for a half-second.

His followers were collectively confused for several seconds.

These two were dressed almost identically; what was the meaning of this?

Both in long robes, one wouldn’t tell them apart if not for the bound hands of one, as if there were two Ying Jius standing there.

Had Tianjin introduced new rules? Before going on the road, one must dress according to the gang leader’s standard?

While Hai Yunlong’s followers were pondering in confusion, Hai Yunlong had already snapped back to reality, feigning politeness. “I knew Master Jiu was a man of principle.”

With a wave of his hand, two men immediately came up to drag Chi Yingxue towards Hai Yunlong’s side.

Just as he was being lifted, Chi Yingxue somehow broke free from the ropes, slipped out of the control of the two Hai gang brothers like a snake, and lunged at Hai Yunlong!

Hai Yunlong, completely unprepared for this turn of events, didn’t even have time to reach for his gun at his waist before Chi Yingxue had him in a chokehold!

Instead, Chi Yingxue helped him draw the gun, pressing its muzzle to his temple. Chi Yingxue’s eyes swept across the crowd coldly. “If anyone from the Hai Gang or the Fushou Gang dares to step forward, I’ll blow his head off.”

His gaze was cold, and his voice even colder, like a thin blade in the dark night, ready to cut throats.

“Back off!” Hai Yunlong shouted to his brothers, his voice breaking. Gone was his previously imposing demeanor.

The Hai Gang brothers naturally didn’t dare gamble with their young leader’s life.

But the stance of the Fushou Gang brothers was more delicate.

Hai Yunlong glanced nervously towards Ying Jiu.

The Fushou Gang and Hai Gang had never gotten along, but there had never been a major conflict openly. In theory, he thought the Fushou Gang wouldn’t dare act rashly, considering his father’s position above him. If they really did something to him, when his father came with the entire Hai Gang for revenge, things wouldn’t end well for the Fushou Gang.

But what if Ying Jiu acted impulsively? This was the cunning Master Ying Jiu—who knows what he was thinking.

“Let him go,” Ying Jiu finally said, making Hai Yunlong want to cry.

Chi Yingxue tightened his grip. “You let me go, I let him go.”

Ying Jiu nodded without hesitation. “Okay.”

Chi Yingxue smiled—a faint, disdainful smile—as if to say, my escape isn’t because you allowed it, but because I earned it.

Ying Jiu remained expressionless, just quietly watching him.

Chi Yingxue, while holding Hai Yunlong, retreated towards the direction of the Hai Gang brothers, who immediately cleared a path for them.

Hai Yunlong stumbled, finding it increasingly difficult to breathe, pleading continuously, “Brother, don’t strangle me to death. If I die, you won’t be able to get out…”

Before he could finish his sentence, a sudden noise came from the wall, and the next second, a body “plopped” into the alley, landing between the Hai Gang and the Fushou Gang, right in front of Chi Yingxue and Hai Yunlong, with the person’s hand landing on Hai Yunlong’s foot.

Upon closer inspection, this wasn’t a living person at all, but clearly someone wearing funeral clothes!

If not for Chi Yingxue holding him with the gun pressed against him, Hai Yunlong would have jumped up.

The air suddenly froze, and every brother in the alley, regardless of affiliation, stared dumbfounded at the corpse of the old man in funeral clothes on the ground, somewhat bewildered.

They had seen corpses before, in all states of gore, but the sudden appearance of an old man from the sky, especially on such a dark, windy, and foggy night, was a different kind of horror.

Chi Yingxue was the first to snap out of it. Taking advantage of everyone’s shock, he pushed Hai Yunlong and jumped over the wall to escape!

Hai Yunlong, pushed onto the old man, took a while to get up. His legs were weak. Furious, he ordered all the brothers, “Chase!”

A group of people immediately scaled the wall, no longer caring about the unrelated corpse.

……

After jumping over the wall, Chi Yingxue didn’t leave but hid on the roof of a nearby shop, leisurely watching Hai Yunlong and his gang run off. He blew a whistle only he could hear and jumped down from the roof.

To his surprise, a group from the Fushou Gang was waiting behind the house.

As soon as Chi Yingxue landed, he knew trouble was imminent. Turning around, sure enough, Ying Jiu was standing there with his hands behind his back, relaxed, with the Fushou Gang brothers carrying the old man’s corpse behind him.

“I don’t know him,” Chi Yingxue declared first.

“……” Ying Jiu sighed lightly, for the first time feeling his patience wearing thin. “He is Old Master Cheng from the Cheng family, who passed away two days ago.”

Chi Yingxue: “Oh.”

Ying Jiu: “……”

Perhaps unable to watch their leader being tormented any longer, the Fushou Gang brothers burst into action—

“Why waste words with him, Master Jiu? He denies involvement after drawing lots; our Fushou Gang doesn’t harbor such cowards!”

“Exactly, Master Jiu. Just say the word, and we’ll dump him in the Hai River!”

“Before dumping him, strip off those clothes. They look so uncomfortable!”

Ying Jiu raised his hand.

The brothers immediately fell silent.

Chi Yingxue tilted his head, curiously looking at Ying Jiu’s hand. Having witnessed its effect twice now, he had every reason to suspect it had a “mute button”.

“Why did you hold Hai Yunlong hostage?” Ying Jiu suddenly asked.

Chi Yingxue was slow to respond, only realizing Ying Jiu was speaking to him.

“I can’t die.”

“Can’t?” Ying Jiu raised his eyebrows slightly. People usually say, “Don’t want to.”

“If I die, I can’t submit my paper.”

“Paper?”

Chi Yingxue, losing patience with this repetitive conversation style, unilaterally decided they were not suited for dialogue.

Ying Jiu also realized that following the other’s lead in conversation was a dead end and directly brought back the original question. “Why did you, being closer to me, go out of your way to take Hai Yunlong hostage?”

Chi Yingxue shrugged. “I don’t want to pay with my life. You’re at fault. I take him hostage, it’s his loss of face. If he doesn’t hold it against you and you don’t spread it around, this matter will slide. If I took you hostage, it would be both your fault and loss of face, and he could broadcast it everywhere…”

He paused mid-sentence, suddenly zoning out as if just realizing what he had said.

Ying Jiu didn’t catch his lapse, instead showing rare approval. “Kid, from now on, follow me.”

Chi Yingxue didn’t hear Ying Jiu’s words, deaf to everything except his own heartbeat. Was it really him who answered so smoothly? That clarity of thought, that sharpness of vision, that decisiveness in action—it all felt more like… Yan Wang.

He despised thinking because clarity brought back unwanted memories. So, he preferred to be lazy and muddled.

Slowly raising his hand to his chest, Chi Yingxue, feeling the steady heartbeat, suddenly realized something.

The joke he and Chi Zhuolin made might be true—Yan Wang hadn’t left; he just stayed with him in another way.

“Hey, Master Jiu is giving you face. Don’t throw it away!” Someone nearby pushed him.

Chi Yingxue snapped back to reality. “Hm?”

Ying Jiu looked up at the foggy night sky, exhaling softly before looking back at Chi Yingxue. “I said, from now on, stay by my side. Stop being Cat Five.”

The career shift came too fast for Chi Yingxue to follow. “Then what am I?”

Master Ying Jiu: “Master Wu*.”

*Five.

Chi Yingxue: “You’re Master Jiu*, and I’m Master Wu. Wouldn’t I be running ahead of you?”

*Nine.

Master Ying Jiu: “Young—Master Wu.”

Chi Yingxue: “That’s good, sounds younger.”

Master Ying Jiu: “……”

Fushou Gang brothers: “……”

—Cat Five, a low-level thug in the Fushou Gang, was promoted on a starless night.

“Master Jiu.” The brother carrying the corpse asked, “What do we do now?”

Master Ying Jiu, having recognized the corpse as Old Master Cheng, pondered for a moment before saying, “Go to the Cheng family.”

……

On the main road, two alleys away, Wu Sheng and Qian Ai, having lost track of “Old Master Cheng”, ran into a procession of monks headed to the Cheng family for a ritual the next day.

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