Capturing the Flower Thief

Chapter 10: Apprehending the Flower Thief

Several more days passed, and Bai Yan arrived at the Pacification Bureau as usual to check in.

Expecting another dull and monotonous day, Bai Yan had just crossed the stone arch bridge in the front courtyard when he saw Ren Hong rushing towards him with a grave expression.

"Brigade Leader!"

Seeing him, Ren Hong quickly stopped, cupped his fists in greeting, and respectfully said:

"The Battalion Commander urgently summons you to the central hall immediately."

"Oh? A mission?"

Bai Yan's eyes lit up.

He had been so bored for half a month that he was almost getting sick.

He quickly arrived at the Battalion Commander's central hall. Zheng Haihan was standing by the window with his back to him. Just as Bai Yan was about to bow, the other man tossed a case file over:

"Take a look. This is your mission. It just came over from the Ministry of Justice."

Bai Yan opened the case file and read it. His expression darkened slightly as his gaze swept across the first page.

It recorded a series of rape and murder cases.

On May 8th, Zhang Cuier, the daughter of the wealthy merchant Zhang Baihao in the east of the city, received an azalea. The next night, her boudoir was broken into. The young lady, unable to bear the humiliation, hanged herself in the early hours of the morning. Her body was discovered by her maid.

On May 11th, the heir to Yongtang's Medicine Hall, also received a bouquet of azaleas. That night, a scream was heard from the back courtyard of the medical hall. By the time the employees rushed over, Miss Du had already fallen in a pool of blood. Not only had she been violated, but her face had also been disfigured with a sharp weapon. Her death was gruesome.

On the night of May 14th, the Yang family's martial arts school in the south of the city was invaded by a criminal. Yang Musi, the only daughter of the martial arts school's owner, Yang Jianshan, was killed while fighting the assailant.

The owner of the martial arts school and many martial artists rushed over upon hearing the commotion and fought the attacker one after another, all of them ultimately killed.

The entire Yang family martial arts school, all thirty-two members, were wiped out overnight, with no survivors.

According to the Ministry of Justice's investigation, Yang Musi had also received an azalea the day before she was killed.

Bai Yan continued to flip through the case file.

May 17th...

May 20th...

May 23rd...

Every three days, there was a case.

The latest record stopped on May 26th. Ye Youcai, a wealthy merchant from Ping'an Ward, reported to the Ministry of Justice that his daughter had received an azalea, the token of the Flower Thief, and requested that the Ministry of Justice send someone to protect his daughter.

After finishing the case file, Bai Yan's eyes darkened, and he instantly understood the connection.

This was a serial rape and murder case. The culprit was the most notorious Flower Thief in the martial world.

This thief not only committed his crimes with brutal methods but also acted with extreme arrogance. Before attacking each target, he would always send that azalea as a token. It was less of a warning and more of a blatant provocation.

"Flower-Picking Gentleman?"

Bai Yan stared at these four words in the case file, a cold sneer curling his lips:

"Such a scumbag who preys on women dares to call himself a gentleman? It's utterly disgusting!"

Among criminals, there has always been an unwritten hierarchy of contempt.

Flying thieves looked down on local bandits, finding them crude and brainless, only knowing how to punch and kick without any skill.

Local bandits, in turn, disdained grave robbers, believing they dug up ancestors' graves and committed immoral acts, not even sparing the dead.

And no matter which type of thief, when they mentioned the Flower Thief, they would all express their disdain, thinking they only bullied women and were not worthy of being called men.

Bai Yan also looked down on the likes of Flower Thieves. Moreover, this Flower-Picking Gentleman was not a novice.

Attached to the end of the case file was a letter of assistance. Before this person flowed into Yongtang City, he had committed dozens of cases in the surrounding three prefectures and seven counties. The victims, according to records, exceeded sixty people, half of whom were women who could not bear the humiliation and either committed suicide or went insane, meeting tragic ends.

"Over sixty people..."

Bai Yan softly repeated the number, killing intent surging in his eyes like a tangible force:

"Such a scumbag deserves to be killed to appease public anger, and flayed to vent everyone's fury!"

He frowned and looked at Zheng Haihan:

"What were the people at the Ministry of Justice doing? They couldn't even catch a Flower Thief? Is this Flower-Picking Gentleman very powerful?"

Zheng Haihan shook his head and explained:

"It's precisely because the Ministry of Justice couldn't catch this Flower Thief that it was transferred to the Imperial Guard for us to apprehend."

"This Flower Thief's strength is not particularly high, only at the Early Innate Stage. However, his Lightness Skill is excellent. Most of the Ministry of Justice's constables are ordinary martial artists. When encountering such a martial artist proficient in Lightness Skill, they are naturally helpless."

Eight or nine out of ten of the court's top experts are concentrated in the Imperial Guard, the Six Doors, and the Eastern Depot. The Ministry of Justice has always lacked top experts. After all, they usually deal with civilians who have not learned martial arts.

When encountering cases committed by martial arts experts, according to custom, it should be transferred.

However, every department wants to achieve merits and gain favor with the Emperor, and the Ministry of Justice is no exception.

Every time they encounter such a case, they always think they can solve it with their own abilities, but the result is often prolonged delays, causing more innocent people to suffer. By the time the case is transferred, the best opportunity for apprehension has long passed.

This is a common problem in ancient dynasties. The competition for fame and fortune between departments ultimately causes the suffering of the common people at the very bottom.

Zheng Haihan's tone shifted, becoming grave. "More importantly, this case has reached the Emperor's ears, and His Majesty is furious."

"His Majesty knows?"

Bai Yan's heart jolted.

This was no minor incident.

If a case reached the imperial court, it meant a colossal blunder had been made.

Let alone a mere Flower Thief, even a martial arts sect with a Grandmaster at its helm would face annihilation if they incurred the Emperor's wrath.

"The imperial capital, Yongtang, the very seat of the Son of Heaven, is in turmoil because of a Flower Thief, bringing shame upon the court."

"The Minister of Justice has already been reprimanded by His Majesty in court and fined half a year's salary. We, the Imperial Guard, have received an Imperial Decree to apprehend this scoundrel within three days."

Zheng Haihan looked at Bai Yan and continued:

"You've already broken through to the Innate realm, and your Lightness Skill is not bad. This is an opportunity for you."

"Catching this Flower Thief will be a great merit."

Bai Yan understood. Zheng Haihan was clearly paving the way for him.

Capturing an Early Innate stage Flower Thief might be a monumental task for the Ministry of Justice, but for the Imperial Guard, teeming with experts, it was hardly anything.

There were easily eighty to a hundred people in the Pacification Bureau capable of completing this mission.

Zheng Haihan was assigning this task to him, a Brigade Leader who had only recently joined the force, clearly intending to give him a chance to earn merit.

If he handled this mission brilliantly, he could legitimately be promoted to Company Commander and establish a firm foothold within the Imperial Guard.

"Thank you for your cultivation, my lord!"

Bai Yan clasped his fists in a salute, his posture upright, neither servile nor overbearing.

Zheng Haihan stepped forward, patted Bai Yan's shoulder, and said with expectation:

"Don't disappoint me."

"Rest assured, my lord. As long as this scoundrel dares to show himself, I will capture him!"

"Go."

Zheng Haihan waved his hand.

"This subordinate takes his leave!"

Bai Yan bowed in salute, turned, and strode out of the main hall.

As soon as he stepped out the door, a system prompt instantly sounded in his mind.

[Ding! Host has triggered mission: Apprehend the Flower Thief]

[The Flower Thief is a scourge of the martial world, to be punished by all!]

[Please host apprehend the Flower Thief and bring him to justice, dead or alive]

[Mission Reward: Snow Drinking Saber]