A Single Blow Decides the Realm

Duàn Yì naturally knew nothing of this. After returning home, he washed the disguise powder from his face with clean water and changed back into a comfortable, loose-fitting outfit.

Qin Xin helped Duàn Yì change his clothes, then straightened his collar to make his attire more neat and proper. She asked,

"How did the investigation go? Could it be different from the information Senior Yan provided?"

Seeing that Duàn Yì did not look well and seemed somewhat gloomy, she guessed that the results had not been ideal.

Duàn Yì lightly patted the back of Qin Xin's hand in reassurance. He shook his head, a strange look in his eyes, and said,

"No. What I learned was more or less the same as what Yan Yunxiao had someone tell me.

"Zhuang Shili should indeed have disguised himself as the son of a rice depot owner and hidden there. He only has two experts by his side, though I still cannot determine who they are."

Qin Xin was somewhat surprised. If that was the case, was that not good news? Why did Duàn Yì still seem so downcast?

"Yet it is precisely because everything is too normal that I find it somewhat wrong.

"Just as Zhuang Shili understands me, I once gathered information about him as well. I know something of his past conduct, his style of dealing with people, and the strengths and flaws of his temperament.

"He is absolutely not a hot-tempered, easily enraged man, nor is he someone fierce in appearance but weak at heart. On the contrary, he is outstanding and highly capable.

"Under normal circumstances, even if my current identity places enormous pressure on him, Zhuang Shili would never put himself in such danger before he had reached the end of the road.

"And once he has