Orphaned Heiress and Murderers

"Ah...!" Lu Ming sighed heavily at the sight.

Why was he so unlucky? They were about to hand over the shift!

Even if he was unwilling a hundred times over, duty was duty.

Something had happened right under their noses, perhaps even involving lives. It would be indefensible if they ignored it.

"Damn it, brothers, trouble's here. Let's go!"

Lu Ming rose to his feet, pursing his lips, his tone rather reluctant.

Li Xiu and Ma Yuan wore much the same expressions.

They were all old hands. Everyone was the same.

Zhou Muyun, on the other hand, had a hint of eagerness on his face.

Of course, it was not because he wanted to save anyone or uphold justice. He was simply curious.

What exactly did the grandest den of pleasure in the whole city look like inside?

The group grabbed their sabers and headed into the Drunken Red Pavilion against the flow of the crowd.

Along the way, Lu Ming and the others did not forget to calm the crowd.

Zhou Muyun followed suit.

As for why Lu Ming and the others did not charge straight inside—

It was simple. There were four squads, and whoever went in first might have to face the murderer.

Hadn't they heard the shouts? Blood had been spilled and people had died in the Drunken Red Pavilion.

As a pillar industry of the Four Great Families, there were plenty of martial artists inside.

Even so, something had still happened. It could only mean the enemy was a tough nut to crack.

Thus, the group slowly made their way into the Drunken Red Pavilion.

Zhou Muyun swept his gaze across the building and could not help sighing inwardly. It truly lived up to the name Drunken Red Pavilion!

The entire building had five floors, each connected by enormous staircases.

The interior was extravagantly luxurious, and the first-floor hall was especially resplendent in gold and jade.

Red carpets covered the surroundings; every three steps brought a pearl, every five steps a flower.

There were even artificial hills, flowing water, pavilions, and terraces—a lavish place where gold poured in by the day.

By his estimate, a single pearl inside was enough to feed a family in the Outer City for several years.

Zhou Muyun turned his gaze toward the center of the main hall, where two squads had already arrived.

Together with dozens of martial artists, they had surrounded five people in the middle of the first floor.

One woman and four men.

Several corpses lay on the ground not far away, clearly the people who had been killed.

The woman wore alluring makeup, a light purple gauze robe draped over her shoulders and a white skirt below.

Beneath the gauze were a curvaceous figure and creamy breasts, enough to ensnare the soul.

She held a dagger in each hand, traces of blood at the corners of her mouth, her eyes locked tightly on those around her.

The three young men had ordinary appearances, dressed like scions of prominent households and holding longswords.

The last man was rather old, his temples streaked with gray, dressed like a wealthy merchant.

Thin lips, a high nose bridge, a gloomy face, and hands much longer than those of ordinary people.

Zhou Muyun actually recognized him.

The bandit Dragon-Overturning Claw—Jin Sui!

He ranked among the top ten on the government's wanted posters.

At the Peak Organ Refinement Realm, his claw techniques were sinister and vicious.

He had once wiped out a small Lineage alone. Of the more than thirty people in the entire residence, including maids and servants, not one escaped his poisonous hands.

As the government squads arrived one after another, the blue-clad man leading the Drunken Red Pavilion spoke.

"Jin Sui, I think this old bag of bones of yours is tired of living, daring to cause trouble at the Drunken Red Pavilion!

"And this young lady—if I'm not mistaken, you are the orphaned survivor of the Yan Household, aren't you?

"Since you managed to survive back then, why come seeking your own death?"

The blue-clad man was Song Yu, the Song Household's manager at the Drunken Red Pavilion.

He spoke in a lofty tone, as though everything lay firmly in his grasp.

Each of the Four Great Families sent one person to take turns overseeing the place, and tonight happened to be his turn.

Yet trouble had broken out. Those who had died were members of his Song Household, so he was both furious and stifled.

If this matter was not handled properly, they would likely become a laughingstock.

"The four families drove my Yan Household to extinction. If I do not avenge this hatred, how can I, Yan Rou, continue to live?"

Yan Rou's words struck like pearls, her teeth clenched in fury. She shot into the air and attacked Song Yu first.

The pair of daggers in her hands seemed to come alive. The twin blades were like dragons, stabbing straight for Song Yu's throat and chest.

"Hmph!"

Song Yu snorted coldly. The aura of the Peak Organ Refinement Realm spread from him as he drew the longsword at his waist and held it upright before him.

Clang! Clang!

Two metallic collisions rang out as Song Yu's longsword blocked Yan Rou's attack.

Song Yu seized the opportunity and swept his longsword at Yan Rou's waist.

Yan Rou twisted at the waist and bent backward, barely evading the sword stroke by a hair's breadth.

Borrowing the momentum, Yan Rou pulled away. Song Yu followed with sword in hand, and the two instantly became locked in battle.

"Oh my, young people truly are impatient. Since I have taken someone's money, this old man should lend a hand as well!"

Jin Sui gave a sinister laugh, changing his palms into claws and becoming an afterimage as he blocked those who wanted to aid Song Yu.

The other three men each intercepted the constables.

For a time, the Drunken Red Pavilion was filled with the sounds of fighting.

Those at the Tempered Bone Realm remained on guard around the perimeter and did not join the battle.

When Organ Refinement Realm experts fought, Tempered Bone Realm martial artists would only be serving themselves up on a platter!

Yan Rou and Song Yu fought fiercely, but Song Yu was clearly the stronger of the two. Several bloody wounds had already appeared on Yan Rou's body, and her defeat was only a matter of time.

Jin Sui truly lived up to his fierce reputation. His twin claws had been trained until they were like metal and iron, and he alone fought four Organ Refinement Realm experts without falling into disadvantage!

Zhou Muyun's eyes flickered. This man's martial arts had surely reached great mastery!

In contrast, the battle on the government's side had a trace of something strange about it.

Lu Ming and the other four constables were practically pressing the three men down and beating them.

But they were truly only pressing them down. The three men could neither escape nor win.

In Zhou Muyun's eyes, Lu Ming and the others were obviously holding back.

After all, if they ended the battle now, they would have to face Jin Sui or Yan Rou.

Those two were clearly far more ruthless!

In the blink of an eye, Yan Rou and Song Yu had exchanged several moves. Song Yu caught an opening and knocked the twin daggers from Yan Rou's hands.

Seizing the chance, he flicked his longsword, sword flowers blooming everywhere. Yan Rou fell to her knees and collapsed into a pool of blood.

"The Yan Household remnant has been defeated! Come with me and slay that villain Jin Sui!"

Song Yu's lips curved upward as he raised his sword and headed toward Jin Sui.

Jin Sui's eyes shifted at the sight, and the urge to retreat suddenly rose within him.

This battle cannot continue! Run!

He fixed his gaze on the exit. His claws turned sharp and fierce, sending his encircling attackers flying back in a single strike.

Taking advantage of the gap, his steps flickered as he darted toward the exit at high speed.

"Stop him!" Song Yu shouted.

The two guards at the exit looked at each other, terror in their eyes, yet they had no choice but to steel themselves and raise their sabers.

"An ant trying to shake a tree!"

Who was Jin Sui? His claw shadows flashed, and before the two guards could even see clearly, they had already fallen.

"Hahaha, that Song brat is nothing more than this. This old man will—"

His voice stopped abruptly. Song Yu halted, a grave expression appearing on his face.

Seeing the newcomer, Lu Ming and the others suddenly exerted force and instantly subdued the three men.

The government men immediately bowed respectfully toward the entrance. "Welcome, Market Magistrate He!"

"Market Magistrate He!" Song Yu and the Drunken Red Pavilion guards also called out respectfully.

Zhou Muyun's pupils shrank slightly. Was the Blood Exchange Realm truly this powerful?

Jin Sui, who had been flaunting his ferocity moments ago, was now held by the throat like a chick and lifted in He Miao's hand.

He tried to struggle, but He Miao's hand around his throat tightened.

Crack.

Jin Sui, the vicious criminal ranked among the top ten on the wanted posters, went limp and silent like a lump of mud.

He Miao tossed Jin Sui aside as though throwing away trash, then looked at Song Yu and grinned.

"I heard that trouble broke out at the Drunken Red Pavilion. This official is deeply pained; this place is a pillar of my East Market.

"Fortunately, I arrived in time, and the murderers have already been brought to justice. But this official fears there may yet be hidden dangers.

"So... thoroughly search the Drunken Red Pavilion. Do not overlook a single place!"

"Yes!"

Zhou Muyun and the other constables answered loudly, then began searching.

As Song Yu looked at the smiling He Miao, ten thousand grass-mud horses galloped through his heart.

Search the Drunken Red Pavilion? It could not withstand a search!

In times like these, what place did not have a few filthy secrets?

But under the court's laws, those were capital crimes!

Song Yu's mind raced, and in an instant, he had an idea.

He sheathed his longsword, strode to He Miao's side, leaned close to his ear, and muttered a few words.

He Miao nodded with a smile and even patted his shoulder. Raising a hand in a stopping gesture, he announced loudly.

"Manager Song just informed me that they had already searched the place beforehand. Then this official shall not disturb them further. Everyone, withdraw!"

"Yes, sir!"

He Miao turned and left. The constables, Zhou Muyun included, escorted the three men out of the Drunken Red Pavilion.

After everyone had left, Song Yu finally had an outlet for the fury filling his chest, and he cursed loudly.

"A bunch of trash! Someone infiltrated this place and you didn't even know? Wake that stinking woman up for me! I'll interrogate her personally and see who has such audacity!"

As the manager, Song Yu was naturally no fool.

One destitute survivor, one wanted criminal, and three wandering martial artists dared to come cause trouble at the Drunken Red Pavilion?

He would not believe it even in his dreams!