Chapter 48

Outside the window, the night grew heavy.

Luo Qingchen walked slowly along the second-floor corridor, lost in deep thought.

As he reached the door of the last guest room, Qingmei appeared in the doorway draped in a thin pink veil, her posture provocative. She crooked a finger at him and said in a seductive tone, "Guard Luo, don't you want to come in and play for a while? It's free. If you're still a virgin, I'll even pay you."

With that, she let out a self-amused, giggling laugh.

Luo Qingchen ignored her and turned to walk toward the end of the corridor.

Qingmei stopped laughing and cursed from inside the room, "What are you acting so high and mighty for? You're probably just a eunuch!"

Luo Qingchen finished patrolling the second floor and headed down to the main hall on the first floor.

After standing in the shadows of a corner for a while, he went back upstairs and arrived at the door of the first guest room.

Zhao Yun had already finished bathing.

She was currently draped in a light green veil, sitting quietly before the vanity, combing through her long, beautiful hair.

Luo Qingchen stood at the doorway, momentarily speechless.

Zhao Yun seemed to see him in the mirror; she turned her head and asked in surprise, "Brother A-Chen, why are you standing at the door? If you want to speak with me, just come in."

Luo Qingchen only looked at her, making no move to enter.

The room was still filled with a lingering mist from the bath and a somewhat pungent floral scent.

The young girl sat at the table, her long hair loose and her fragrant shoulders exposed. Her eyes were full of smiles as she looked at him. "Brother A-Chen, I'm not Qingmei; I won't eat you. Come in."

Only then did Luo Qingchen enter the room.

However, he stopped at the threshold and did not venture any further inside.

The smile on Zhao Yun's face faded slightly as she said softly, "Brother A-Chen, are you on guard against me, too?"

Luo Qingchen was silent for a moment before saying, "A-Yun..."

"I know. In a place like this, one must be on guard against everyone."

Zhao Yun slowly lowered her head, a bitter expression appearing on her face.

"Brother A-Chen, it's not just you; I am the same, and everyone in this building is the same. This is a place that eats people. One careless step, and you're doomed forever."

Luo Qingchen looked at her with a complex gaze. "A-Yun, have you never thought about leaving this place? No matter how hard it is outside, it would still be better than here, wouldn't it?"

Zhao Yun was silent for a long time before she raised her head, looking at him with a desolate expression. "Brother A-Chen, it's too late... it's already too late..."

Just as Luo Qingchen was about to say something more, a burst of noisy footsteps suddenly came from downstairs.

Then, Zhou Qingyang's voice rang out: "Surround this building inside and out! Don't miss the outer courtyard walls, the windows, the latrines, or the wine cellar! Don't let a single fly escape!"

"Sister Sun, have all the girls, guests, maids, and servants in this building come out immediately! The girls and guests are to stand at their respective room doors, and all maids and servants are to come to the main hall. Not a single person is to be left out!"

Sun Ping's trembling voice replied, "Yes!"

The quiet of the building was shattered instantly, and the sounds of panicked footsteps and the girls' inquiries erupted everywhere.

Luo Qingchen stood in the room, as if he hadn't heard the commotion outside.

Zhao Yun stood up from the vanity and said softly, "Brother A-Chen, hurry down. It seems something has happened in the building again."

Luo Qingchen looked at her once more and gave a silent nod.

As he lowered his head to leave the room, Zhao Yun suddenly added, "Brother A-Chen, stay alive."

Luo Qingchen stopped outside the door and turned back to look at her.

The young girl's eyes were filled with tenderness, and a smile bloomed on her face.

In a daze, Luo Qingchen felt as if he saw that summer again—a group of friends holding paper windmills, playing and running together on Windchime Street, and the brilliant smile on her face.

"Brother Luo! Brother Luo!"

At that moment, Zhang Jiu's voice suddenly came from downstairs.

Luo Qingchen snapped out of his memories, withdrew his gaze, and left.

By the time he went downstairs, the main hall was already packed with people.

The maids, servants, and even the kitchen cooks were gathered there, their faces full of panic and sleepiness.

"Brother Luo, over here!"

Zhang Jiu waved from a corner.

Many members of the Town Guard Bureau were standing there, Zhou Qingyang among them.

Luo Qingchen walked over.

Zhang Jiu asked hurriedly, "Has anything happened in the building? Is there someone in every room? Did you notice anything unusual?"

Luo Qingchen replied, "No."

Zhang Jiu whispered, "That Heart-Plucking Monster must be here in our Hundred Fragrance Pavilion; we followed the blood trail here. The beast is extremely cunning; it circled the Black Forest outside before coming back."

Luo Qingchen said, "Weren't the people in the building checked earlier?"

Zhang Jiu let out a cold snort. "The beast was hiding very deeply before and used some method to deceive us. But it was severely wounded tonight, so it definitely won't be able to run!"

At this moment, Zhou Qingyang turned his head to look at him and said, "Head Zhang, list those people you mentioned earlier again. We are going to check them one by one."

Zhang Jiu's expression changed instantly, and he hurriedly whispered, "Captain Zhou, didn't we agree not to bring that up? I..."

"You must say it!"

Zhou Qingyang stared at him with unquestionable authority and whispered, "Only by saying it out loud in front of everyone will that Demonic Beast become emotionally unstable and reveal its flaws! Head Zhang, everyone already knows about it, so what are you afraid to say? Besides, I have already guaranteed that I will not hold you accountable for anything you did before!"

Zhang Jiu stammered, his face still full of hesitation.

Zhou Qingyang's face darkened, and his tone turned cold: "Head Zhang, if you delay any longer and that monster recovers, we will no longer protect you!"

As soon as these words were spoken, Zhang Jiu's body trembled, and he hurriedly said, "I'll say it! I'll say it!"

Gritting his teeth, he immediately stepped forward and pointed at a young maid in the crowd: "Her—the first night she arrived here, I... I raped her. I also threatened her with her younger brother to keep her quiet, then lied to her, saying I would find a way to bring her brother up later... In the end, her brother died..."

Everyone was stunned upon hearing this.

The maid, named Xiaohong, was dazed at first, then her eyes turned red, and she collapsed to the ground.

Zhou Qingyang immediately stepped forward and stared at her, saying, "If that is the case, this little maid must harbor immense resentment. If that demon wants to possess someone, it only needs to tempt her in her dreams."

He then waved his hand: "Men! This little maid is highly suspicious. Strip her clothes off immediately and check her thoroughly!"

"Yes!"

Two members of the Town Guard Bureau immediately stepped forward.

"Rip!"

The two of them tore the clothes off the little maid right on the spot.

The little maid shrieked and began to cry.

Zhou Qingyang immediately drew the blade at his waist, standing ready for battle.

The others in the hall saw this scene and trembled, silent as cicadas in winter.

Sun Ping did not make a sound either.

She was just a lowly little maid, no different from livestock; no one cared about her.

The two men finished their inspection quickly and found no wounds.

At this moment, Zhou Qingyang took out the Demon Detecting Stone, walked over, placed it on the shivering body of the little maid, and checked her carefully once more before coldly ordering, "Take her to the side and keep a close watch. We cannot lower our guard yet!"

"Yes!"

The two men immediately dragged the little maid to a corner, not caring whether she was clothed or not.

The little maid huddled there naked, sobbing softly while trembling in terror.

Zhou Qingyang looked at Zhang Jiu again and said, "Head Zhang, next!"

Under the various gazes of the crowd, Zhang Jiu bit the bullet, stepped forward, and pointed at another figure in the crowd.

It was a woman who did manual labor.

Zhang Jiu said, "I sold her son to the Blue Flower Pavilion at the mines. Her son was... worked to death by those miners..."

The Blue Flower Pavilion—that place was full of male prostitutes.

At this moment, the girls upstairs had all come to the railing on the second floor upon hearing the commotion, looking down with various expressions on their faces.

"I didn't expect this Guard Zhang to be such a beast in human clothing..."

One of the girls cursed in a low voice.

Luo Qingchen raised his head and looked up at the second floor.