Cooperating in the Investigation

Chu Fan remained calm.

There had been no witnesses or physical evidence concerning last night's events. He had handled everything cleanly and efficiently.

The authorities investigating because so many people had died was only natural.

But even if they investigated, there was no way they would have found their way to him so quickly.

This world was chaotic and disorderly. In a certain sense, murder and arson were both everyday occurrences, and even neighbors would not pay them much attention.

No one would go to such lengths over the deaths of a few thugs.

Especially not those exalted officials.

A thin, gaunt constable glanced at Chu Fan before entering the courtyard. His eyes immediately locked onto the Cleaving Knife covered in snow.

He walked over, picked up the knife, knocked the ice and snow off it, and brought it to his nose for a sniff.

Seeing this, a trace of mockery flashed through Chu Fan's eyes.

Zhao Hu, standing by the door, grew somewhat tense and watched the constable's every move.

The constable shook his head and tossed the Cleaving Knife to his colleague at the door.

The constable at the door was already holding a Cleaving Knife. After catching the other one, he said coldly, "Chu Fan, you and Zhao Hu will come with me to the Liu Family in Qingci Lane and assist with the investigation!"

"Huh? Oh..." Chu Fan blinked, looking utterly bewildered.

The constable ignored him and turned toward Qingci Lane.

The constable who had entered the courtyard earlier went straight into the house and began searching everywhere.

Chu Fan frowned but said nothing.

It was common for these yamen runners and constables to use an investigation as an excuse to walk off with the common people's possessions.

But every valuable thing in his house had long since been sold off.

If this constable could find even a single copper coin or a single sweet potato, that would count as a display of real skill!

Chu Fan exchanged a glance with Zhao Hu, then followed behind the constable toward Qingci Lane.

Zhao Hu looked at Chu Fan with some concern.

When he heard that Liu Da and the others had been killed that morning, Chu Fan had been the first person he thought of.

The look in Chu Fan's eyes when he returned yesterday, that imposing aura...

But then again, it seemed impossible.

Just half a month ago, Chu Fan had still been beaten by those ruffians.

Liu Da and the others had studied martial arts at a martial arts academy for half a year. A single punch from them could smash open bluestone. How could Chu Fan have killed them?

And without suffering so much as a scratch?

But if it had not been Chu Fan, then this coincidence was far too perfect.

Zhao Hu said quietly, "Liu Da's group was hacked to death last night. I heard the weapon was a Cleaving Knife..."

"The constables learned from the neighbors about the evil deeds Liu Da and the others had committed these past few days. That's why they suspect the killer was one of us."

"Liu Da's group was hacked to death last night?" Chu Fan pretended to be shocked, widening his eyes.

When putting on a show, one had to commit to it fully.

Unfortunately, the constable walking ahead could not appreciate Chu Fan's performance, which left him feeling slightly disappointed.

Zhao Hu sighed, though the joy in his eyes was difficult to conceal. "The wicked will eventually be punished by Heaven. I wonder which hero butchered those beasts..."

"A neighbor just said that if he found out who did it, he would certainly kowtow to him until his head rang against the ground!"

That really isn't necessary. If you truly mean it, why not give me two catties of beef instead...? Chu Fan thought to himself.

The constable walking ahead had clearly heard their conversation, yet he remained silent, as though completely indifferent to the bloody case.

Zhao Hu continued, "When we get there, Constable asks questions, so try to say as little as possible. I'll answer for you."

"Don't panic. We have done nothing wrong and can stand straight with clear consciences!"

"Understood." Chu Fan nodded and cast a glance at the constable ahead.

The constable appeared lazy, but he walked steadily through the snow, the distance of each step nearly identical.

Chu Fan put on an act on the surface, while in his heart he was already making the worst-case plans.

If the investigation really led back to him...

Unless absolutely necessary, he could not make a move against the yamen officials. He would have to flee at top speed and seek help from Cao Shi at the Seven Star Gang's branch!

He had only killed a few ruffian thugs. With Cao Shi's abilities, he would certainly be able to protect him.

At worst, he would just have to send the authorities some silver money.

Chu Fan slowly recalled the route from the Liu Family's home to the Seven Star Gang in his memories.

Along the way, many people were heading toward the Liu Family in Qingci Lane.

It was not that people enjoyed watching the excitement.

It was simply that Liu Da and the others were notorious in this area. As soon as the neighbors heard that they had been hacked to death, they wished they could set off firecrackers to celebrate.

Many neighbors along the road greeted Zhao Hu, Chu Fan, and the constable.

By the time the two of them followed the constable to the Liu Family, the entrance was already surrounded by people.

Several people stood beside Liu Da's corpse.

Those few people wore strange expressions. Joy and fear were intertwined in their eyes, and they trembled in the cold wind.

Chu Fan did not know them, but guessed they were the people Zhao Hu had mentioned...

Zhang Mazi from Qingfeng Alley;

Li Si from Black Water Alley;

Chen Qiang from Wugu Alley;

Huang Shouliang had wanted to seize the homes of these people, so he had ordered Liu Da and the others to "take care" of them one by one.

Liu Da's group had just finished "taking care" of them when someone hacked them to death...

That was why the constables had summoned all these people.

"You two, go stand over there!"

The constable who had brought Chu Fan and Zhao Hu pointed toward Zhang Mazi and the others trembling in the cold wind.

Chu Fan exchanged a glance with Zhao Hu, and the two of them walked over together.

In the courtyard, Liu Da, who had been pinned to the ground by a large saber, had already frozen into an ice sculpture.

The ice covering his entire body made the gruesome scene somewhat less horrifying.

The people who had come to watch the excitement pointed and whispered among themselves.

"That pack of beasts finally died... Good riddance!"

"Heaven has eyes and took them away! Otherwise, who knows how many more people they would have harmed!"

"Someone ordered them to commit evil and tried to seize the homes of the Chu Family, the Zhao Family, and the others. In the end, they were all slaughtered overnight..."

"See that? The most miserable one was Sun Laosi. His head was chopped clean off, right beside the window, his eyes still wide open... He died with grievances unredressed!"

"Trash like that deserved to die! They got what was coming to them!"

"Keep your voices down. Lu the Constable is coming out!"

The surrounding discussion suddenly quieted.

Three constables walked out of the house.

The middle-aged man at their head was more than eight chi tall, with broad shoulders, a thick back, and an upright bearing. He was none other than Constable Lu Tao.

Lu Tao wore three short wisps of beard beneath his chin, each one stiff as iron. He possessed an imposing presence without needing to show anger.

He was like a thick-backed saber drawn from its sheath, radiating a fierce aura. Even standing motionless, he seemed to make the surrounding clamor draw in its voice, while even the snowflakes drifting outside the courtyard appeared to slow by half.

Lu Tao's gaze swept over Chu Fan and the others. Unlike the other constables, his eyes held no viciousness. Instead, they were like the deep waters of a frigid pool, making people's hearts sink under his stare.

"Chief, everyone has been brought here."

The constable who had brought Chu Fan and Zhao Hu stepped forward and reported.

Lu Tao gave a slight nod without speaking, but a fire was burning fiercely in his heart.

When the Seven Star Gang and the Blood Saber Sect fought, the County Magistrate had said there was no need to interfere, that the more fiercely they fought, the better;

As the Moon Worshipping Sect grew increasingly brazen, forcibly recruiting people and leaving the Outer City's common people grumbling with resentment, the County Magistrate had said it was no major matter;

When members of the Blood Saber Sect beat someone to death in the street, the County Magistrate had said the lives of unruly commoners were worthless and need not be taken seriously...

Now that several ruffian scoundrels who had committed every manner of evil were dead, the County Magistrate said the impact was vile and demanded a thorough investigation to the very end!

Zhang Yunpeng, Zhang Yunpeng, you are the father and mother official of this county. You should have been like the spring breeze and timely rain, nourishing the Common People. Yet now you have become a Taotie and an evil tiger that preyed upon them.

The "Bright Mirror High Above" plaque in the yamen had long since been smoked black as charcoal by your embezzlement.

The silver money the common people paid in grain taxes had also become the clinking wealth in the golden treasury of your rear residence.

Today, you sat in judgment, wielding the Vermilion Brush to decide life and death. Tomorrow, the common people's banners demanding your life should be hung upon your gold-inlaid yamen gates!

Lu Tao forcibly suppressed the disgust in his heart and turned his gaze toward the pile of Cleaving Knives.

The killer's blade had been swift, and his work had been clean. Surely he would not have left behind such a glaring flaw?