The Key in the Door Crack, and the Banquet Indeed Held a Knife

Xiao Wu stood up first.

"It really was sent by her."

Shen Zhi had already walked to the door, bending down to pick up the key.

The silver was cold.

There was a faint scent of soap on the thread.

He turned it over to examine it for a moment, his expression slowly darkening.

"This isn't an ordinary key."

Xiao Wu leaned in closer.

"You recognize it?"

"It's a secondary key from the Internal Affairs Department."

Shen Zhi gripped the key, lowering his voice.

"The Suotuo Branch Hall has a set of keys divided into primary and secondary. The primary key is on the ring at Xu Tinglan's waist; these small secondary keys are generally only used to open side doors, secret cabinets, and temporary ledger locks."

Xiao Wu frowned.

"She shoved this over directly—is she afraid she won't have time to explain tonight?"

Su Chen sat by the table, his fingers tapping lightly on the surface.

"It's not that she's afraid there won't be time."

"It's that she no longer has the opportunity to say it openly."

Shen Zhi's gaze shifted.

"You mean she's already being watched?"

"From the moment she handed me the letter in front of Han Su, she was already being watched."

Su Chen looked at the key.

"The fact that she can still send this key out now means the situation tonight is even more urgent than she described."

Xiao Wu reached out.

"Let me see."

Shen Zhi handed the key to her.

Xiao Wu held it in her hand, weighing it.

It was very light.

But the edges were worn down finely, clearly from frequent use.

She looked down at the moon-white silk thread, then suddenly looked up.

"Since she said the key would change hands at 7:45 PM tonight, does the fact that it was sent early mean—"

"It means she intends for us to bypass that hand-off and open the door directly."

Su Chen finished her sentence.

"And it's highly likely we won't be opening the main entrance."

Shen Zhi spread out the banquet seating chart once more.

"If it's a side door or a secret cabinet, the most likely location is this corridor along the back."

His finger pressed down on the map.

"This is close to the banquet hall and also close to the secret vault."

"The staff from the Internal Affairs Department use this path the most."

Xiao Wu stared at the map.

"Doesn't that mean we'll have to split up tonight?"

"No need."

Su Chen pulled the map toward himself.

"We'll enter the banquet hall together first."

"You keep watch on what you need to."

"We move only when the time for the key hand-off arrives."

Xiao Wu nodded.

"The wine pot, the servers, the people closest to Xu Tinglan."

"I'll keep it in mind."

Su Chen glanced at her.

"There is one more thing."

"What?"

"No matter who talks to you tonight, don't eat or drink anything first."

Xiao Wu snorted.

"Do you really think I'm stupid?"

"I don't think you're stupid."

She paused, then added a line.

"But if you were the one handing it to me, I would drink it."

The room fell silent for a beat.

Shen Zhi silently shifted his gaze away from the two of them, pretending to look out the window.

Su Chen looked at Xiao Wu.

Xiao Wu realized what she had said, the tips of her ears turning hot, and she immediately straightened her face.

"I meant that I trust you."

"Don't get any wild ideas."

Su Chen gave a hum.

"I'm not."

Xiao Wu glared at him.

"That sounded even more like you're having wild ideas."

Shen Zhi gave a light cough and took over the conversation.

"There is one more issue."

"You two suppressed Han Su too hard today; there is a high probability he won't make the first move himself tonight."

"He will have others test you."

Xiao Wu crossed her arms.

"Then let them test us."

"I'd like to see what other tricks Suotuo City can pull."

Su Chen stood up.

"Change your clothes first."

"Rest for another quarter of an hour, then we'll head over once night falls."

Night fell quickly.

The Suotuo Branch Hall was fully illuminated.

A red carpet was laid out outside the banquet hall, with tall bronze lamps standing on both sides. The flames flickered in the wind, casting the ground in a warm, golden glow.

Quite a few people had arrived.

Branch Deacons, local chambers of commerce, members of families with close ties to the branch, and even the few external Deacons who hadn't shown their faces that afternoon were all present.

When Su Chen and Xiao Wu arrived, the chatter at the entrance was lively.

Xiao Wu had changed into a light red short skirt today, still wearing that Carrot Wooden Hairpin in her hair. Standing beside Su Chen, she looked sharper and brighter than she had during the day.

The moment she stepped onto the red carpet, she felt a barrage of gazes sweep over her.

Appraising, probing, malicious.

Xiao Wu spoke in a low voice.

"They're so annoying to look at."

"Let them look."

Su Chen's tone was indifferent.

"Only after they've seen enough will they know who they can't afford to provoke."

At the entrance to the banquet hall, Han Su was already standing there.

His gray-gold robe was perfectly neat, and he even wore a faint smile on his face.

If one hadn't seen his true colors during the day, he would truly look like a respectable Deputy Hall Master.

"The Holy Son gracing us with his presence makes the Suotuo Branch Hall shine."

Han Su stepped aside to clear the path.

"Please."

Su Chen did not stop his stride.

As he passed by Han Su, he only replied coolly.

"I hope you don't disappoint me tonight."

Han Su's smile didn't change.

The hand inside his sleeve tightened slightly.

As Xiao Wu walked over, she deliberately tilted her head to glance at him.

"Why are you so quiet today?"

"Did that apology from earlier hurt your spirit?"

The smile on Han Su's face almost cracked.

Xiao Wu let out a soft hum and followed Su Chen inside.

The banquet hall was large.

A long table sat in the center, with secondary seats arranged on both sides. The dishes weren't all served yet, but the wine was already laid out.

As soon as Su Chen entered, he scanned the room.

There were three types of wine pots.

The main table had celadon, the secondary seats had white porcelain, and the tables further back had black bases with narrow mouths.

The serving maids moved steadily, but the young attendant in grey on the left, third from the front, had his sleeves pulled down too low, revealing a bit of a fresh red mark on his wrist.

It looked like it had just been chafed by some thin rope.

Xu Tinglan stood at the back of the banquet hall, her moon-white dress still and quiet. The string of silver keys at her waist was still there.

But one was missing.

Xiao Wu only took one glance, and she remembered.

She sat down next to Su Chen, her voice kept very low.

"One key is missing."

Su Chen grunted.

"I saw."

"What about the wine pots?"

"The main table and the secondary seats aren't a set."

"The grey-clothed attendant serving wine has rope marks on his hand."

Su Chen glanced at her, his eyes moving slightly.

"Not bad."

Xiao Wu lifted her chin slightly.

"Of course."

Shen Zhi sat a little further back. He didn't look directly at them, only speaking in a low voice as he raised his cup.

"To Xu Tinglan's left, there's a new face."

"Wearing a cashier's blue robe, the soles of his shoes are clean, looks like he just came from the inner storeroom."

Su Chen glanced over, following the reflection from the rim of his cup.

He saw him.

The man was around thirty, with a pale face and heavy eye bags. He had no keys at his waist, yet he stood not far from Xu Tinglan.

It should be Lu Ming.

The dishes were served one by one.

The polite small talk also began to increase.

Someone from the merchant association stood up first to toast, a smile plastered on his face, speaking of how Suotuo City was fortunate to have the Holy Son's presence.

A deacon from a branch hall followed suit, saying that Deputy Hall Master Han always handled things meticulously.

The words weren't unpleasant.

But every sentence was probing for information.

Xiao Wu didn't touch her wine.

She only picked up a couple of vegetarian dishes closest to her with her chopsticks.

Before long, a young gentleman in brocade robes walked over with a wine cup.

He didn't toast Su Chen first, but instead smiled at Xiao Wu.

"Miss Xiao Wu's performance in the arena today was truly unforgettable."

"I am Zhou Huan, Zhou Ling's cousin."

"My brother was reckless earlier, I'll drink this cup on his behalf as an apology."

Xiao Wu looked up at him.

"Your brother's apology requires you to drink it?"

Zhou Huan's smile faltered for a moment.

"He's thin-skinned and feels a bit shy."

Xiao Wu leaned back against her chair.

"Then you tell him."

"Tell him to come talk to me once his skin has thickened a bit."

Zhou Huan's expression stiffened, though he forced himself to keep smiling.

"Miss Xiao Wu certainly knows how to joke."

"I'm not joking."

Xiao Wu glanced at the wine in his glass.

"And I won't be drinking this glass of yours."

A flicker of coldness crossed the depths of Zhou Huan's eyes.

"To refuse even a cup of apology wine, isn't that a bit too—"

"She isn't drinking it. Do you have a problem with that?"

Su Chen finally spoke.

The cup made a soft clink as he set it down.

The second half of Zhou Huan's sentence caught in his throat.

He looked at Su Chen, his mouth twitching.

"I wouldn't dare."

"Then stand further away."

Su Chen raised his eyes.

"You're blocking the light on my side."

Zhou Huan's face turned truly ugly, yet he had no choice but to hold his wine and back away.

Xiao Wu stifled a laugh, and only after the man had walked far away did she lean over and whisper.

"That line you just used was more effective than cursing him out directly."

"You should learn from it."

"I'm already quite good at it."

"Not good enough."

Xiao Wu pouted, but she didn't talk back.

After a round of drinks, the servants began moving about frequently to serve the dishes.

Xiao Wu quickly noticed something was wrong.

The dishes delivered to their table were all coming from the same hand.

Moreover, that servant in grey would glance at Xu Tinglan every time he approached.

It was as if he were waiting for some kind of signal.

Just as she was about to speak, a commotion suddenly came from Xu Tinglan's side.

A silver cup fell to the floor.

Cling. The sound was sharp and clear.

Everyone instinctively looked over.

Xu Tinglan stood where she was, her expression composed as she murmured an apology for her clumsiness.

But Su Chen saw it clearly.

She had done it on purpose.

Because the moment the silver cup hit the floor, her right hand had tapped twice against the edge of the table.

It was the reminder that the agreed-upon time had arrived.

7:45 PM.

Su Chen lifted his wine glass, and under the cover of his sleeve, he pressed the silver key into his palm.

Then, he tilted his head and whispered to Xiao Wu.

"Let's go."

"Now?"

"Now."

Xiao Wu set down her chopsticks and suddenly raised a hand to press against her temple.

Her voice rose slightly as she spoke.

"Su Chen, I feel a bit dizzy."

As soon as these words were spoken, people nearby immediately looked over.

Han Su sat at the front side of the main table, his smile unchanging.

"If Miss Xiao Wu cannot hold her liquor, perhaps it would be better to go rest in the side hall."

"That sounds good."

Xiao Wu gripped the edge of the table to stand up, deliberately swaying her body as she did so.

"I'll go and recover for a bit."

Su Chen also stood up.

"I will accompany her."

The corners of Han Su's mouth pressed down slightly.

"Holy Son, the banquet has not yet—"

"She is here with me."

Su Chen swept a glance at him.

"She is unwell, and I am taking her out. Do you have an objection?"

Han Su paused for a moment, then ultimately smiled.

"Naturally, I do not."

Xu Tinglan had already lowered her head and stepped aside to clear the path to the side corridor.

Su Chen supported Xiao Wu as they walked out.

The moment they turned into the corridor, Xiao Wu, who had been "dizzy" just a moment ago, immediately stood straight.

"How was my acting?"

"A bit worse than your feints during the day."

Xiao Wu glared at him.

"Can't you let me be satisfied just once?"

Su Chen didn't take the bait, handing the key directly to her.

"The third door on the left."

"You open it, I'll watch our backs."

The corridor was very quiet.

The sounds of the banquet outside were muffled by the wall, reaching them only as a dull hum.

Xiao Wu stepped lightly, reaching the door in three strides.

She gripped the key and slid it into the keyhole.

Click.

It actually opened.

Behind the door was an even narrower, dim passage.

The air smelled of old paper and wood wax.

Just as Xiao Wu was about to enter, Su Chen suddenly reached out, gently blocking her from moving forward.

"Don't be hasty."

"What is it?"

Su Chen didn't speak, instead raising his foot to press lightly against the edge of the threshold.

Snap.

A steel wire, thin as a hair and gleaming, suddenly sprang out from above the door frame, slicing across the surface of the wall.

If someone had walked straight in just now, that strike would have slit their throat.

A chill ran down Xiao Wu's back.

"There really were blades."

"I told you, tonight wouldn't just be about a table of food and wine."

Su Chen bent down, snapped the steel wire, and tossed it aside.

"You can enter now."

The end of the dim passage connected to two small rooms.

One was a key room.

The other door was half-ajar, and the faint sound of paper being turned came from within.

Xiao Wu leaned in to take a look, then immediately turned back.

"Someone's there."

"How many?"

"Two."

"One is rummaging through things, the other is packing crates."

Su Chen nodded.

"Go in."

Xiao Wu slipped inside first.

Her movements were swift, barely stirring the air.

Before the two men inside could react, she had already kicked over a wooden crate by the door.

With a loud crash, ledgers scattered across the floor.

The two men standing inside looked up abruptly.

One was Lu Ming.

The other was the Deacon who had been trailing behind Han Su earlier that day.

Their expressions changed instantly.

"Who—"

"Your great-aunt."

Xiao Wu stepped forward and slammed a fist into the Deacon's face.

Bang.

He collided directly with a shelf, blood gushing from his nose on the spot.

Lu Ming turned to run.

Su Chen had already entered from the doorway, raising a hand to pin him by the shoulder.