Dark-Night Investigation, Traces and Clues

Dark-Night Investigation, Traces and Clues

Night had completely enveloped Fuchang County. The panic of the day seemed to have settled with the coming darkness, turning into a deathly oppressive silence. The stench of blood from Wealthy Zhang's residence still seemed to linger faintly in the air, making the small city feel particularly cold and gloomy.

Inside the Xuntian Guard's local station, the lights were blazing. Zhao Kuang was further analyzing the case with Liu Ming and the others, drawing up detailed plans for entering the mountains the next day. Li Yifan, meanwhile, had brought Qian Xiaoliu and another team member, Sun Shi, who was skilled at socializing and quick-witted. They changed into inconspicuous casual clothes, quietly left the station, and melted into the county city's night.

Their task was to investigate the medicine shops, pawnshops, and places where all sorts of people gathered in the county city, to see whether they could find any clues about unfamiliar suspicious individuals or purchases of unusual medicinal ingredients. It seemed like looking for a needle in a haystack, but crucial clues could often be found in the tiniest details.

"Captain, where do we start?" Qian Xiaoliu asked in a low voice, warily scanning the dim streets around them.

Li Yifan pondered briefly before saying, "Let's start with the medicine shops. Nie Wuya cultivates an evil technique and may need some unusual medicinal ingredients, especially those with yin-cold properties or related to vital blood. Fuchang County isn't large. There probably aren't many medicine shops."

Sun Shi picked up the thread. "The captain is right. The largest medicine shop in the county city is Spring Returns Hall, right at the street corner ahead. There are also two smaller ones, one in the south of the city and one in the west."

"Spring Returns Hall first." Li Yifan made his decision.

The three soon arrived at Spring Returns Hall. It was already late, and the medicine shop had closed for the night, leaving only a small door open. Li Yifan stepped forward and knocked on the door ring.

After a moment, a young apprentice opened the door sleepily. Seeing three unfamiliar men outside, he jumped in fright. "You gentlemen... the shop is already closed. If you need something, please come early tomorrow."

Li Yifan produced an Xuntian Guard waist token and said quietly, "The Xuntian Guard is investigating a case. We need to ask your shopkeeper a few questions."

The young apprentice became more than half-awake at the sight of the token. He did not dare delay and hurriedly invited the three inside, then ran to the back hall to wake the shopkeeper.

The shopkeeper of Spring Returns Hall was a gaunt old man in his fifties with a goatee. His surname was Chen. He came out wearing an outer garment, and when he saw Li Yifan and the other two—especially the Xuntian Guard waist token—he showed a hint of nervousness.

"Several officers have come visiting so late at night. May I ask what instructions you have?" Shopkeeper Chen clasped his hands and asked respectfully.

Li Yifan got straight to the point. "Shopkeeper Chen, there's no need to be nervous. We're here regarding the case at Wealthy Zhang's residence. I want to ask whether, recently, any unfamiliar faces have come here to purchase unusual or large quantities of medicinal ingredients. Especially... ingredients related to yin-cold properties, replenishing blood, or anything uncommon."

At that, Shopkeeper Chen's expression changed slightly. He had clearly heard about the massacre at Wealthy Zhang's residence. After thinking carefully, he shook his head. "In answer to you, sir, our little shop serves only the neighbors. Most of our customers are regulars. Recently... apart from several old customers coming for their usual prescriptions, there truly haven't been any unfamiliar faces buying special medicinal ingredients. As for yin-cold or blood-replenishing ingredients, people often buy those, but they're all ordinary angelica root, prepared rehmannia, and the like, and never in large quantities."

Li Yifan carefully watched Shopkeeper Chen's expression. Feeling that he did not seem to be pretending, he continued asking, "Has anyone inquired about or tried to buy any more obscure, or even... taboo medicinal ingredients? For example, cinnabar, realgar, or certain special mineral powders?"

"Taboo medicinal ingredients?" Shopkeeper Chen waved his hands repeatedly. "Please understand, sir, Spring Returns Hall is a proper medicine shop. We absolutely don't sell prohibited substances. We do have a little cinnabar and realgar, but only small amounts for medical use. No one has bought them in bulk recently."

After questioning him for a while, they gained no valuable leads. Li Yifan told Shopkeeper Chen to report to the local station at once if he remembered anything unusual, then left Spring Returns Hall with the other two.

Next, they visited the other two small medicine shops, receiving much the same answers. Fuchang County was a small place after all, and business at the medicine shops was slow. Recently, there truly had been no unfamiliar faces purchasing large quantities of unusual medicinal ingredients.

"It looks like we didn't gain anything from the medicine shops." Sun Shi spoke with some disappointment.

Li Yifan's expression remained unchanged. "That was within expectations. Nie Wuya is cunning and may not leave any obvious traces in this small county. Come on, let's check the pawnshop."

Pawnshops were places where stolen goods could be disposed of and unknown valuables acquired, so they might also reveal clues. Fuchang County had only one pawnshop, called Hengtong Pawnshop.

The pawnshop had also closed for the night, but Li Yifan identified himself and had the door opened. The pawnshop appraiser was a shrewd middle-aged man. Upon hearing that the Xuntian Guard was investigating a case, he cooperated fully.

Li Yifan focused his questions on whether any unfamiliar people had pawned valuable items recently, especially things carrying a sinister aura or of unknown origin.

The appraiser carefully flipped through the recent account books before finally shaking his head. "Sir, most of the recent items pawned were ordinary clothes and jewelry. There weren't many valuables. The only relatively precious item was a fine jade pendant. Scholar Zhang from the east of the city brought it in after his family fell into decline, and we know his background well. No unfamiliar person has pawned anything unusual."

The trail was cut off once again.

Qian Xiaoliu was somewhat dispirited. "Captain, this county city is too small. Could that Old Devil have never shown his face in the city at all?"

Li Yifan's gaze swept across the silent streets as he slowly said, "Not necessarily. Since he committed the crime in Fuchang County, he likely has a foothold nearby, or needs to gather information and buy necessities. The medicine shops and pawnshop have yielded nothing, so let's go to the last place—the places where the 'night owls' gather."

The so-called "night owls" referred to people who were active at night, such as watchmen, gamblers, beggars, and certain shady black-market brokers. These people had well-informed ears and often knew things that could not be found out through ordinary inquiries.

Under Sun Shi's lead, the three arrived at a secluded alley in the western part of the city. There was a semisubterranean gambling den there, and it was bustling at this hour. The gambling den was filled with smoke and foul air, with voices roaring as people from every walk of life mingled together.

Li Yifan had Qian Xiaoliu and Sun Shi wait outside while he concealed his aura and blended into the crowd like an ordinary gambler. His gaze was sharp, and his ears twitched slightly as he carefully caught the conversations around him.

Most of the gamblers were discussing their wins and losses at pai gow or dice, or bragging about their "battle records." Li Yifan listened patiently. After roughly the time it took to burn a stick of incense, near a table in the corner where players gambled on high or low, he heard two men in somewhat ragged clothing, who looked like local ruffians, speaking in low voices.

"...Have you heard? A few days ago, someone saw a strange man over by Black Blind Ridge..." said a tall, thin man in a lowered voice.

"A strange man? What kind of strange man?" asked another short, fat ruffian.

"I heard he was dressed all in black, wrapped up tightly from head to toe, and walked as lightly as a ghostly shadow... Someone tried to get closer for a look, but before they reached him, they felt a gust of sinister wind and ran away in fright." The tall, thin man still looked shaken as he spoke.

Black Blind Ridge? Li Yifan's heart stirred. It was a vital mountain pass southeast of Fuchang County, leading into the mountainous region. The terrain was perilous, and few people went there.

"Tch, maybe he was just a mountain gatherer collecting herbs, wearing thicker clothes, that's all. Look at you, scared out of your wits," the short, fat ruffian said dismissively.

"Nothing like that!" the tall, thin man argued. "That feeling... it was devilishly strange! And someone saw him just two days before something happened at Wealthy Zhang's residence!"

At that, Li Yifan no longer hesitated. He walked over to the two ruffians and stopped in front of them. Although he did not release his aura, the invisible pressure born from years of cultivation and life-and-death battles still made the two ruffians instantly shut their mouths and look at him nervously.

"You two, the strange man you mentioned at Black Blind Ridge—when exactly did you see him, and where?" Li Yifan asked calmly. At the same time, he deliberately let a glint of a silver ingot show between his fingers.

The two ruffians' eyes lit up at the sight of the silver. They then looked at Li Yifan's extraordinary bearing. The tall, thin man hurriedly said, "Mister, it was... it was about five or six days ago, around dusk. We saw him near that ruined Mountain God Temple at Black Blind Ridge. He went deeper into the mountains."

"Did you get a clear look at his appearance? Or notice any other features?" Li Yifan pressed.

"N-No... we couldn't see his face. He was wrapped up too tightly. It was just... especially cold. Yes, the moment you got close, you felt a chill seep into your bones." The tall, thin man struggled to recall the details.

Li Yifan was basically certain that this was very likely Nie Wuya. The time, place, and characteristics all matched. He flicked the silver over to the tall, thin man and said in a low voice, "Don't mention this to anyone else."

With that, he turned and left the gambling den.

After reuniting with Qian Xiaoliu and Sun Shi, Li Yifan told them what he had learned.

"Black Blind Ridge! The Mountain God Temple!" Qian Xiaoliu said excitedly. "Captain, that has to be the Old Devil!"

Sun Shi nodded as well. "The timing matches too. It seems he was active in that area before committing the crime."

Li Yifan pondered. "This is an important lead. But Nie Wuya is cunning and may no longer be staying at the Mountain God Temple. Still, he may have left traces of his stay there. When we enter the mountains tomorrow, we can make the Mountain God Temple at Black Blind Ridge our primary search area."

By the time the three returned to the local station, it was already deep into the night. Zhao Kuang had not yet rested and was studying a map beneath the lamplight. When he saw Li Yifan return, he immediately asked, "Well? Did you find anything?"

Li Yifan gave a detailed report of their night investigation, especially the news he had heard in the gambling den about the strange man at Black Blind Ridge.

When Zhao Kuang finished listening, a flash of brilliance lit up his tiger eyes. He suddenly slapped the map. "Black Blind Ridge! Good! It seems that old devil's lair is very likely in the deep mountains nearby! Yifan, you've done great work this time!"

He pointed to Black Blind Ridge on the map and said in a deep voice, "Tomorrow morning, we'll head straight for Black Blind Ridge! We'll search outward in every direction with the Mountain God Temple at the center! This time, we'll definitely drag that devil into the light!"

Li Yifan nodded in agreement, but there was not much ease in his heart. Nie Wuya was a Blood Refining Realm expert with keen senses and a talent for concealment. Even if they found the area where he had been active, pinpointing his exact hiding place and forcing him out would be no easy task. Entering the mountains tomorrow would likely be a grueling contest of tracking and countertracking.

The night grew deeper, and Fuchang County sank into an uneasy sleep. Meanwhile, the Xuntian Guard's net for hunting demons had already been silently cast toward the vast mountains to the southeast.