Hero Saves the Beauty

"Ninth Young Master, this man is highly suspicious."

After Zhang Liang followed Han Fei out of Xiao Manor, he analyzed with a grave expression, "Setting aside the fact that the Xiao Family's madam gave false testimony, when he heard that Liu Yi had been killed, he appeared shocked on the surface, yet there wasn't the slightest fluctuation in his eyes. It was obvious that he had known about it long ago."

"To catch a thief, you need the stolen goods; to catch adultery, you need both parties."

Han Fei shook his head. "Zifang, with nothing but our current speculations, we have no way to convict him."

"Then what should we do next?"

"Wait! I have a feeling this case is far from simple. Liu Yi's death should only be the beginning."

Han Fei narrowed his eyes. "If I'm not mistaken, the murderer will definitely strike again. From now on, we only need to keep a close watch on Xiao Manor, Purple Orchid Pavilion, and Left Sima Manor."

"Ninth Young Master is wise."

A dark and windy night was perfect for murder and arson.

Under the cover of night, Xiao Feng changed into a fitted black outfit and silently left Xiao Manor.

Seeing this, Wei Zhuang, who had been monitoring him from the shadows, flashed a cold glint in his sword eyes and followed without expression.

"So it really was him!"

When Wei Zhuang followed Xiao Feng at high speed and personally watched him vault over the wall into Left Sima Manor, he had already concluded that Xiao Feng was the murderer.

In truth, Wei Zhuang did not care who had killed Liu Yi. What he truly cared about was Hong Yu, who had been murdered by the killer.

Purple Orchid Pavilion was under Wei Zhuang's protection. Anyone who dared kill someone from Purple Orchid Pavilion was no different from slapping him in the face.

Although Hong Yu's death could not be blamed on Wei Zhuang, since he had happened to leave Purple Orchid Pavilion at the time to secretly escort Han Fei back to his residence, he still felt somewhat guilty.

Therefore, once Wei Zhuang discovered that Xiao Feng was the murderer, only one thought remained in his mind: a life for a life!

Xiao Feng did not notice Wei Zhuang following behind him. After secretly infiltrating Left Sima Manor, he quickly found the courtyard where Madam Hu lived.

Madam Hu was Liu Yi's wife and Nong Yu's biological mother.

Since Nong Yu could trigger the "Ill-fated Beauty" projection mission, there was a high probability that Madam Hu could trigger one as well.

Moreover, according to the original plot, the true murderer of Liu Yi should come again tonight to kill Madam Hu. That was why Xiao Feng had infiltrated Left Sima Manor overnight.

???

Hidden in the shadows, Wei Zhuang saw that Xiao Feng did not enter Madam Hu's courtyard. Instead, he found a concealed corner outside and hid there, unable to stop a puzzled expression from appearing on his face.

Why did this scene look somewhat familiar?

Wei Zhuang's expression shifted several times before he finally abandoned the thought of avenging Hong Yu immediately. He wanted to see what Xiao Feng was really up to.

After all, Wei Zhuang was a successor of Ghost Valley. His brain worked quite well.

Xiao Feng's strange behavior did not feel like that of a murderer. Instead, it resembled Wei Zhuang's own actions, as though he had deliberately come here to lie in wait for the murderer.

As time slowly passed, just as Wei Zhuang was beginning to grow impatient, a middle-aged man in a black robe and a Vulture mask suddenly appeared within both their sight.

"Pfft, pfft, pfft..."

After Vulture barged into Madam Hu's courtyard, he immediately began slaughtering without a word, slitting the throats of every maid and guard outside.

"It's him!"

Wei Zhuang's pupils suddenly constricted at the sight.

The wounds on the necks of the maids and guards Vulture had killed were exactly the same as Hong Yu's. It was obvious that this man was the true culprit behind Hong Yu's murder.

Bang!!!

After killing all the guards and maids outside, Vulture kicked open the bedroom door and began interrogating Madam Hu about Lord Fire Rain's Treasure.

Lord Fire Rain was Madam Hu's father and had once been a renowned wealthy merchant in the Hundred Yue Lands.

Back then, Right Sima Li Kai and generals such as Left Sima Liu Yi had been ordered to travel to the Hundred Yue Lands to suppress a rebellion.

During the campaign in the Hundred Yue Lands, Li Kai fell in love with the eldest daughter of Fire Rain Mountain Manor. They secretly pledged themselves to each other and even had a child born of their love—Nong Yu.

Liu Yi, who also admired Madam Hu, became consumed with jealousy after learning that she and Li Kai were in love, and he devised a scheme to kill Li Kai.

Afterward, Liu Yi colluded with the Three Wolves with Severed Hair to raid Fire Rain Mountain Manor and seize all of its treasure.

In order to keep Lord Fire Rain's Treasure for himself, Liu Yi set an ambush and killed the Three Wolves with Severed Hair to silence them.

However, Liu Yi had not expected that one of the Three Wolves with Severed Hair would survive by sheer luck, join Ji Wuye's Hundred Birds organization, and become known as Vulture.

The reason Vulture killed Liu Yi was to reclaim Lord Fire Rain's Treasure.

"Y-you're one of the Three Wolves with Severed Hair..."

Faced with Vulture's threats and interrogation, Madam Hu quickly recognized his true identity. Beyond her fury, what she felt most was fear.

Back then, Madam Hu had personally watched the Three Wolves with Severed Hair brutally slaughter her family and servants. The incident had become an inescapable nightmare in her heart.

"Ding! Congratulations, Host, for coming into contact with the plot character 'Madam Hu' and triggering the random projection mission—Hero Saves the Beauty!"

Looking through the open bedroom door, Xiao Feng also saw Madam Hu trembling in fear, and the system notification sounded in his ear.

"Ding! Mission objective: Rescue Madam Hu, who is about to be killed by Vulture. Mission reward: One additional lottery draw."

"Looks like I'll have to make you suffer a little before you'll obediently tell the truth. Then don't blame me for being merciless to a beauty!"

Lord Fire Rain's Treasure had become Vulture's obsession. Naturally, he refused to believe that Madam Hu did not know its whereabouts.

Vulture believed Madam Hu was simply deceiving him. He immediately raised the longsword in his hand and slashed it toward her slender jade fingers.

"Whoosh—"

Just as Madam Hu was about to suffer cruel torture, a blurred figure suddenly streaked in from outside the door, scooped her up, and vanished from the spot.

"Who goes there?"

Vulture's attack missed, and his expression changed drastically as he abruptly turned toward the doorway.

Xiao Feng, dressed in black, stood stiffly in the courtyard outside, holding the still-shaken Madam Hu in his arms.

Seeing Madam Hu's pale, pitiful appearance, Xiao Feng comforted her gently, "Do not be afraid, Madam. With me here, no one can harm you."

Although Madam Hu was not as beautiful as Jing Ni, she possessed an exceptionally elegant and tranquil air. Her beauty was subtle, something that needed to be savored slowly.

Hearing Xiao Feng's deeply magnetic voice, much of Madam Hu's fear dissipated. A faintly shy expression soon appeared on her face.

Other than the deceased Li Kai and Liu Yi, Madam Hu had never been so intimately close to another man.