Xu Yi said, "You mean there are clues after all—they were just cut off. Someone on the inside worked with the culprit to transfer the patrol's Ding Shen and Jia Shen before the crime."
"Other than that, I can't think of another explanation," Huangmei said.
Xu Yi rubbed his forehead. "So this damn thing is a headless case."
"Not necessarily," Huangmei said. "Someone must know what happened. Follow the clue about the unusual reassignment of the Ding Shen and Jia Shen on the day of the crime, and we should find something. We may have to use some rather unorthodox methods."
Xu Yi's eyes lit up, then dimmed. "You're not thinking of devouring their life wheels, are you? That won't work. There's nothing wrong with taking crooked paths, but you have to choose the right time and the right people. Besides, I just got here. Who knows how many eyes are watching me? They're probably just waiting to catch me in a mistake. How could I hand them one on a silver platter? Still, you're pointing in the right direction. Let's follow that lead first."
As Xu Yi was figuring out how to begin, the on-duty Gongcao came to report that someone from the Metropolitan Office had arrived with an order.
Xu Yi invited the messenger in. The man delivered the decree and then left.
Xu Yi nearly smashed the white jade table in front of him with one palm. Xuan Ye Wang had given him only five days. If he couldn't solve the case within that time, he was to resign of his own accord.
They were openly using the procedures of the system to crush him. It might not be reasonable, but it was certainly legal.
Once Xu Yi was forced to resign, it would go on his