Commotion

Mole Zhang had clearly drunk quite a bit; his speech was slurred, and he swayed as he walked.

He was followed by a heavily made-up courtesan who looked rather mature, her face etched with the practiced, weary smiles of her trade.

"Master Zhang, do you only remember Little Peach Red? I'm still right here, you know. If you act like this, I won't have it~"

As she spoke, she pressed her chest against Mole Zhang's arm.

Though her looks were average, this scent of wantonness was something Mole Zhang found quite satisfying. He let out a boisterous laugh, his hands wandering restlessly over her not-so-slender waist, and chuckled lecherously, "What's that supposed to mean? At worst, you can join Little Peach Red today; this master is going to enjoy two phoenixes with one dragon today..."

The courtesan covered her mouth and giggled foolishly, "Master, are you even up for it?"

"Hm? Looking down on your Master Zhang? Fine, fine, fine! Today I'll show you what your Master Zhang is capable of! I guarantee you won't be able to get out of bed tomorrow!~"

"Master Zhang~"

The two flirted without a care for those around them.

Qin Fang narrowed his eyes, his gaze sweeping the surroundings... he was searching for the final two targets.

He found them quickly.

The three had arrived together, and as expected, they were moving together. Not far behind Mole Zhang, the other two targets were also swaying, each with a courtesan in their arms, whispering something that made the women giggle incessantly.

However, having seen the way these courtesans could change their expressions at the door, Qin Fang wondered how much of their laughter was genuine.

But that had nothing to do with him.

Having discovered all three targets, Qin Fang felt a secret sense of relief.

How to find the three targets in Lan Gui Fang had been the greatest difficulty of the operation. He hadn't expected his luck to be so good, finding them the moment he stepped inside.

It was, at most, two quarters past the Hour of the Ox; there were still at least one or two hours until dawn...

That should be enough time.

He hid in the shadows, observing with cold eyes.

Soon, another courtesan arrived at Mole Zhang's side. The lantern light was dim, making it hard to see her features, but judging by Mole Zhang's excited expression, it had to be the Little Peach Red he was looking for. Eventually, they entered one of the rooms in the courtyard together.

The other two targets teased Mole Zhang, and after Mole Zhang retorted with a laugh, they too entered their respective rooms.

Before long, unspeakable sounds began to drift from the rooms.

Qin Fang frowned, looking at the courtyard; there were still quite a few people about.

Entering these rooms rashly was clearly not an option; he would likely be noticed.

So, what was he to do?

Just as he was contemplating his next move, one of the doors suddenly opened again.

Qin Fang blinked, watching as one of the targets stepped out.

So soon?

While he was still surprised, Qin Fang saw the target alone, swaying as he headed toward the edge of the courtyard.

That place was...

The latrine?

Qin Fang's eyes began to dart rapidly.

Should he strike?

But if he acted now, there was still a courtesan in the man's room. If she discovered her companion didn't return from the latrine for a long time, it would likely arouse suspicion.

If she went looking for him, it might alert the remaining two targets.

But if he didn't act now, it would be even more troublesome once the man returned to the room...

Qin Fang's gaze flickered for a moment, fixed on the target's back.

Finally, he took a deep breath.

He had made his decision.

Strike!

Waiting like this was no solution.

Since there was no way to act without anyone noticing...

Then he would simply make the scene chaotic.

Having decided, Qin Fang quickly scanned his surroundings. There were many people, but the vast majority were drunk, including the courtesans, and everyone was busy flirting.

Qin Fang deliberately hunched his shoulders, minimizing his presence as much as possible, and stepped into the courtyard.

He no longer hid in the corners, instead walking openly past the front of the rooms... pretending to be a guest who had just stepped out of a room to use the latrine.

Sure enough, although there were many people, and he even sensed someone glance at him... they didn't look closely and quickly shifted their gaze away.

Qin Fang kept his eyes locked on the target. The man's steps were unsteady, clearly quite drunk, and Qin Fang followed him with ease.

Seeing the man enter the latrine, Qin Fang slipped in right behind him without a moment's hesitation.

Dazed and confused, Liu Three-Cudgel had just pulled down his trousers to relieve himself when he heard footsteps behind him. He furrowed his brows in annoyance and cursed irritably, "Can't you see someone's here? Get out, get out! Wait until I'm finished before you come in."

As a member of the Iron Tiger Gang, Liu Three-Cudgel ran with Wang Long.

Although Wang Long himself didn't amount to much, his status as the brother of the gang leader, Wang Hu, was exceptionally lofty. In this patch of South City, there was hardly anyone who dared to offend them.

As a trusted subordinate under Wang Long, Liu Three-Cudgel naturally threw his weight around, long accustomed to acting like a tyrant.

As he spoke, he dropped his trousers and began to relieve himself with a splash.

The lack of movement behind him left Liu Three-Cudgel feeling puzzled, and he turned his head instinctively.

But before he could even make out the situation, he received a heavy blow to his neck.

Squelch!

A sharp object pierced his neck, causing Liu Three-Cudgel's eyes to widen instantly. He could even feel the slick sensation of the sharp object sliding into his flesh.

His entire body stiffened instantly, and the sound of his stream grew louder. Before he could even snap out of it to shout, a hand clamped over his mouth, and the next moment, the sharp, slick object in his neck was viciously sliced.

Squelch!

He heard the sound of blood gushing from his neck, and warm liquid sprayed out, staining his chin.

A wave of weakness struck him instantly.

He felt his body being caught by someone. He wanted to speak, but not a single sound could escape; he only managed to let out a muffled "wuu-wuu" sound before a thick, bloody taste surged in his mouth, and a large amount of blood foam bubbled out.

His whole body convulsed and trembled, unable to muster any strength. He strained his eyes, desperate to see the person behind him.

Although the latrine was dim, he eventually managed to see.

It was a handsome yet exceptionally gaunt face, the expression calm, but the gaze icy.

And when he saw the man's appearance, his eyes widened, revealing an expression of utter disbelief...

It was him?

He recognized Qin Fang.

But he couldn't utter a single word. After convulsing for a short while, his vision went black, and he was dead.

The fourth target, successfully eliminated.

Qin Fang exhaled softly and laid the corpse flat inside the latrine. He quickly and skillfully searched the body, finding about two taels of silver shards and some miscellaneous items. He tucked the silver away, stood up, and exited the latrine.

After looking around, he hunched his back and made his way to the quarters of the remaining two targets.

He waited patiently.

Before long, he saw someone stumbling toward the latrine.

He narrowed his eyes, gripped his throwing dart, and waited patiently.

Only a short while later...

"Ah!!!"

A shrill scream rang out. A figure ran out of the latrine in a panic, shouting loudly and stuttering as he ran.

"Murder! Someone's been murdered!!!"

This sudden cry startled the entire Lan Gui Fang.