Liu Jiashan looked at Xiao Fan and said meaningfully, "From the moment you brought the Fifth Prince back to the capital from Golden Glow Mountain, you had already been drawn into an unspeakable mess."
"I might as well tell you: Shi Ping was a key party in the Hidden Valley case. To prevent any accidents, I deployed an entire Black-Clad Guard squad of three at Treasure Gathering House last night."
Xiao Fan was startled. "If that was the case, sir, then you should know what happened last night, shouldn't you?"
Liu Jiashan helplessly spread his hands. "Not long after you left, all news from Treasure Gathering House was cut off. The two temporary sentry posts in Flower Mist Lane also lost contact entirely."
"After noticing something was wrong, I had intended to bring men here to investigate. But at precisely that juncture, my superiors sent orders transferring me to investigate another case... By the time I got here this morning, it had become like this."
"Then... where is the Treasure Gathering House manager?" Xiao Fan looked around but found no sign of the manager's body.
Liu Jiashan scratched his head. "You're asking me? Who am I supposed to ask?"
Then he stepped to Xiao Fan's side and picked up a fragment of roof tile. "Do you understand what I've been telling you?"
To be honest, Xiao Fan truly did not want to understand, because it was simply too terrifying... The terrifying part was that he seemed to be getting drawn step by step into some immeasurable vortex, yet he had no idea what it was or who was stirring the winds and clouds behind the scenes.
"I understand... Sir means that the higher ranks of the Shadow Pivot Court may be involved in this matter?" Xiao Fan murmured.
Liu Jiashan