Su Manor!

Was it because you were too embarrassed to go alone that you insisted on dragging me along?

Su Fei headed toward the New Residence.

He had long since memorized the address. It was in the eastern district of Qingzhou Prefecture City, not too far from the Thousand Households Office.

As soon as he reached the mouth of the alley, he saw two imposing vermilion-lacquered doors. A brand-new plaque hung above them, bearing the words "Su Manor." The characters had clearly been specially inscribed, their strokes vigorous and powerful, seemingly the work of a renowned calligrapher.

It seemed someone had specifically hired a person to write them.

Two old servants stood guard at the entrance. When they saw Su Fei approach, they hurriedly bowed.

"This lowly servant greets Master."

There were even servants guarding the gate. The arrangements were truly thorough.

Su Fei pushed the door open and entered.

The moment he stepped over the threshold, the sight before him made his eyes light up.

Ahead lay a spacious courtyard paved with bluestone slabs, swept so clean not a speck of dust remained.

To the left was a small garden, its pavilions and waterside structures arranged in pleasing harmony. Several koi swam in the pond, while willows drooped along the bank. A breeze stirred, swaying the willow branches gently, giving the place something of the refined elegance of a Jiangnan garden.

To the right stood several side rooms, their windows bright and tables spotless. They had clearly all been cleaned and prepared.

Further inside, the main hall was tall and spacious. Simple patterns had been carved into its beams and pillars, lending it grandeur without making it seem extravagant.

The rear courtyard even had a dedicated training ground, laid with level bluestone. Racks holding commonly used weapons stood in one corner. This suited Su Fei's tastes perfectly.

"As expected of an imperial-bestowed residence. The standard really is different."

Su Fei could not help but marvel. He made a full circuit of the residence, growing more satisfied the more he looked.

Pavilions and waterside structures, little bridges over flowing streams—there was scenery to admire and space for martial artists to train. It was far superior to his former little courtyard.

"Now this is what a mansion should be like."

Su Fei then returned to his old residence.

He packed a few belongings, hired a carriage, and moved everything into the new residence in less than half an hour.

The old servants had already prepared hot water. After washing up and changing into clean everyday clothes, Su Fei sat in a grand master's chair in the main hall. Looking at the empty yet brightly lit room, he suddenly felt a sense of stability.

"From now on, this place is mine."

The corners of his lips lifted slightly. He planned to hire two more servants later to tend the courtyard and clean the house, leaving himself free to focus on the Imperial Guard's duties.

The moment Su Fei entered the gates of the Thousand Households Office, he saw his former superior, Captain Li, waiting at the entrance.

"Officer Su, Commander Feng is looking for you. He told you to go see him."

"Understood."

Su Fei nodded, faintly surprised.

At this hour, just after beginning the day's work, Commander Feng would usually be handling official documents.

For him to specifically send someone with a message today, there had to be something important.

He quickly made his way to Commander Feng's office and knocked on the door.

"Subordinate Su Fei reports for duty."

"Come in."

Su Fei pushed open the door and entered. Commander Feng was seated behind his desk, holding a case file in his hand.

Su Fei got straight to the point.

"My lord, did you summon this subordinate because there is a new case?"

Commander Feng raised his eyes to look at him and pushed the case file across the desk.

Su Fei took it and opened it. The three words "Plum Blossom" leapt into view.

Su Fei had seen that name in wanted criminal files before. He was a Flower Picking Thief who had roamed throughout Great Xuan for many years.

The records in the file were fairly detailed. Plum Blossom was at the late Xiantian Realm, and his Lightness Skill had reached great mastery, only one step away from perfection.

He had once escaped unscathed from a Grandmaster's manhunt.

His Lightness Skill was exceptional, and he was even more adept at concocting poisonous smoke and knockout drugs. His methods were vicious beyond compare.

At first, he had only committed crimes in Cangzhou in the north. But after seeing that the local authorities could not capture him, he became increasingly brazen.

He began moving from place to place, committing crimes elsewhere.

Unlike ordinary Flower Thieves, Plum Blossom was exceptionally cruel.

After violating women in each case, he would often kill them mercilessly. He would even slaughter the victims' entire families.

Afterward, he would leave a carefully crafted plum blossom specimen at the crime scene, as though flaunting his evil deeds.

"This man has been committing crimes across the land for five years. It is not as though the local authorities have never organized large-scale manhunts. Several times they had him on the hook, yet his poisonous smoke was too formidable. Instead, they lost quite a few constables and martial artists from the jianghu who had come voluntarily. Every one of them was killed by his poisonous smoke."

Commander Feng's voice carried suppressed fury.

"Imperial Guards from other regions have even been killed by him. The rewards offered by local governments and private citizens now add up to nearly five thousand taels of silver, yet Plum Blossom still roams free and has not been captured."

Su Fei turned to the latter half of the case file, and his expression gradually darkened.

It clearly recorded the following.

Last night, the daughter of the wealthy Zhang family in northern Qingzhou City had been violated.

The Zhang family had been exterminated. Including the Zhang couple, their daughter, their relatives, seventeen guards, and five servants, a total of thirty-three people had been killed. Not a single one survived.

A dried plum blossom rested upon a stone table in the Zhang family's courtyard.

Su Fei's fingers slowly tightened, creasing the pages of the file.

He had read many case files and seen plenty of brutal murders, but such a savage Flower Thief—

This was the first time he had encountered one.

Commander Feng sighed.

"According to case records from various regions, Plum Blossom commits anywhere from four or five to over a dozen crimes in one place before leaving. Now that he has acted in Qingzhou, if we do not capture him quickly, I fear even more people will suffer."

He looked at Su Fei, his gaze turning especially grave.

"Su Fei, I want you to take over this case."

"Your Internal Energy can drive out all poisons. That is an advantage others do not have. Ordinary martial artists facing his knockout smoke and poisonous smoke would be caught nine times out of ten, but you are different."

He paused, then added.

"I will not hide it from you. Plum Blossom's Lightness Skill is truly formidable. Even if this old man personally acted, I fear I would not have absolute confidence in capturing him—and I might even be poisoned."

"But if you act, it will be different. Even if you cannot capture Plum Blossom, your life should not be in danger."

"Even if you cannot catch him, with your abilities, preserving your life will not be a problem."

Su Fei understood. Commander Feng had set his sights on the poison-dispelling effects of his Nine Yang Divine Art.

He closed the case file.

Plum Blossom truly deserved to die.

A Flower Thief had actually given himself such an elegant name.

Was he worthy of it?

Lightness Skill, poisonous smoke, knockout smoke, years of crimes, and still at large—this opponent looked more troublesome than Zhao Feiying.

Ding! Mission triggered: Flower Thief!

Mission requirement: Host successfully captures the Flower Thief Plum Blossom.

Mission reward: Finger Flicking Divine Ability, eighty years of cultivation.

The mission had arrived, but what did the system mean by this?

Plum Blossom is the sort of villain who not only plucks flowers, but crushes them with ruthless hands. Even if you had not issued this mission, I would have taken this case.

Did you really need to issue me a mission at this moment?

"My lord, I will take this case."

Su Fei clasped his hands and replied.

"Please transfer all the case files concerning this man's crimes to this subordinate. In addition, I need the detailed investigation records from last night's crime scene."

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