Who Beat You Up?!

On the street.

Chu Ming carried a stack of books taller than his head. His thin frame looked as if it might buckle beneath their weight, drawing plenty of curious glances. Even so, no one stepped forward to help.

Of course, Chu Ming didn't need help. His body might look a little frail, but he was remarkably strong. The steadiness of his steps made that clear.

He hurried along. As he passed Bone-Burial Alley, a pungent smell of blood drifted out.

The passersby nearby looked horrified. They hurried past the alley entrance and quickly left.

Chu Ming didn't slow down or pay it any mind. He headed for the far end of West Street.

Before long, he finally arrived home.

"Young master, you're back." Xiao Shan immediately came over with a bowl of water. She looked in amazement at the thick books. "Young master, why are these books so thick?"

Chu Ming gulped down several mouthfuls of water. The aroma of rice wafting from the kitchen made his mouth water uncontrollably.

"Xiao Shan, hurry and bring me a bowl of rice."

He really had been hungry all day. The flatbread he'd eaten earlier had long since been digested.

"Ah... the dishes aren't ready yet."

"Plain rice is fine. Never mind, I'll get it myself."

Chu Ming took a few quick steps into the kitchen, lifted the lid off the rice pot, scooped up a spoonful, and shoved it into his mouth.

"Young master, it's hot..." Xiao Shan tried to stop him, but Chu Ming acted as if he couldn't feel a thing. He stuffed down several mouthfuls before finally stopping.

"Much better."

Chu Ming gulped down another mouthful of water, then left the kitchen feeling satisfied. He carried Poetry, Politics, and Military Strategy into his little room.

"Call me again at dinner."

After he said that, Xiao Shan watched her young master shut the door.

Inside the room.

Chu Ming's eyes flickered as he first took the two taels of silver from his arms and set them beside the table.

Two taels of silver wasn't much—roughly enough to cover a month's food, including fish and meat.

But now that he was practicing Body Forging Technique, his appetite had multiplied several times over. That was without even counting medicinal soups and the like. This little bit of money certainly wouldn't be enough.

"At the moment, my only income is the monthly allowance from the Chu Family. That won't last..."

As he thought, his gaze had already shifted to Poetry, Politics, and Military Strategy. He picked up the two books, each only about as thick as his palm.

They were both travel journals, though he couldn't remember who had put them there.

Chu Ming glanced through them. He'd read both before, and after flipping through a few pages, he found their contents were the same. He casually tossed them aside.

"Poetry, Politics, and Military Strategy..."

He drew a shallow breath, his gaze burning as he looked at the enormous stack of blue books.

Poetry, Politics, and Military Strategy wasn't a single book, but a collection of many volumes bound together.

He picked up the topmost volume. Its cover was dark blue, with the words General Theory of the Book of Songs: Volume One printed in black regular script.

He opened it. Its contents were exactly the same as the General Theory of the Book of Songs he'd already finished reading.

Then he pulled out the second book. It was titled General Theory of the Book of Songs: Volume Two, and its poems, songs, and ballads were all unfamiliar to him.

He read ten lines at a glance and remembered everything he saw.

Since he hadn't read it before, he might as well get to work.

Although his [Reading] skill had already reached perfection, so its progress wouldn't increase any further,

the special effects of Mastery and Integration and Drawing Inferences could help him deduce and improve Tiger Python Body-Forging Technique as he read.

He even had a hunch that his equally perfected martial skill, [Wind-Slapping Palm], could also be advanced to a higher level by accumulating insights through reading.

Or perhaps he might comprehend a special ability like [Sword Gourd Spiritual Sense].

Willow Town, Catching Yamen.

Fang Xiao and Chief Constable Hou sat solemnly in the main hall. The tea on the table had already gone cold.

"That makes six." Chief Constable Hou murmured, "Brother Fang, this case has even alarmed the Criminal Defense Inspectorate in Baiyuan County. If we still can't catch the killer, you and I are likely to be held responsible."

Fang Xiao looked at the low-ranking constable below them and said gravely, "All six murders happened in Wheat Valley Alley. The victims' chests were torn open, their organs ripped out... Is there anything unusual about that place?"

"Anything unusual?" The constable shook his head and reported, "In answer to your question, my lord, few people enter Wheat Valley Alley. Every year, several beggars die there. Other than that, there's nothing special about it..."

Fang Xiao fell silent.

He'd learned about Wheat Valley Alley after the first murder, but he couldn't connect it to the six nearly identical murders committed in less than a month.

"I'll go take another look." Fang Xiao rose and headed out.

Chief Constable Hou hesitated, then followed with a helpless sigh.

They'd investigated each of the first five murders. The same deep, chilly alley. The same butchered bodies, chests ripped open by claws, and organs that had vanished...

It was the same every time. He hadn't wanted to go look again, but at the thought of having no answers for the Criminal Defense Inspectorate, he followed Fang Xiao.

Sure enough, when the two arrived at Wheat Valley Alley, they saw the very same scene again.

After examining it for a while, Fang Xiao's brows knitted even tighter.

"Well?" Chief Constable Hou wiped the filth off his hands, his face just as troubled.

Fang Xiao shook his head.

"Sigh..."

The two searched along the alley and the river for clues.

After a long while.

"My lords, it's almost dark," the constable reminded them.

"Brother Fang, let's head back."

"Mm."

The two left Wheat Valley Alley and returned to the Catching Yamen.

Just then, a sneaky-looking head peeked in at the doorway. Chief Constable Hou, already in a foul mood, spotted it at once.

"You, boy! Get over here!"

At his growl, a figure appeared in the doorway. "Dad..."

"You brat, weren't you supposed to be taking the Academy Exam? What are you doing at the Catching Yamen?"

"I..."

The boy came over. He was none other than the tall youth from the private school that day, Wu Chun.

"Wait, what happened to your face? Who beat you up?"

Chief Constable Hou had been about to scold him, but then he saw Wu Chun's swollen forehead and injured chin. He even seemed to be missing a front tooth.

At that, Wu Chun's eyes instantly reddened, though no tears were visible.

At the same time, Chief Constable Hou sensed a wave of fury surge in from outside.

"Hou Wuchun! I told you to report it to the authorities, not come here looking for your dad!"

Her voice was so loud that even Fang Xiao couldn't help frowning.

After that shout, a furious woman stormed inside.

She grabbed Hou Wuchun with one hand and pointed at Chief Constable Hou with the other. "Just look at how badly your son's been beaten! He's even lost a tooth, and all you know how to do is investigate cases! You don't even take care of your own son, so what's the point of investigating anything?!"

Chief Constable Hou looked embarrassed. He glanced at the woman, then hurriedly looked away and fixed his gaze on Hou Wuchun. "Boy, don't tell me you had to fight as part of the Academy Exam?"

"Fight? What fight? Hou Ping, your son got beaten up! If you won't deal with it, then I will!" The woman set Hou Wuchun down and planted her hands on her hips, looking rather overbearing.

Seeing this, the low-ranking constables shrank their necks and quietly slipped away as carefully as they could.

Chief Constable Hou gave Fang Xiao an apologetic look, then rose and went over to the woman. Lowering his voice, he said, "Dear, Brother Fang is here. Do me a favor."

The woman glanced at Fang Xiao, then kept her hands on her hips and raised her voice. "What does that matter? You have to find out who beat up Hou Wuchun today. Otherwise, you can forget about investigating cases!"

Fang Xiao saw how troubled Chief Constable Hou looked. He was just about to get up and leave when Chief Constable Hou grabbed Hou Wuchun by the collar. "Tell me clearly. Who beat you up?"

It looked as if he was about to crack the case with thunderous speed.

"Chu Ming! It was some guy named Chu Ming!" Hou Wuchun gritted his teeth as he spoke.

Who?!