A silver moon hung overhead. Below the Corner Tower, swathes of torchlight illuminated the buildings, where countless constables, soldiers, and even city-defense experts had formed a circle.
At its center lay an alley near the street, separated from the market outside by just one wall.
Three corpses lay silently facedown, while a fly-whisk had rolled aside. A few cracks marked the ground and walls, clearly indicating a murder scene not long disturbed.
Eunuch Xu stood before the crowd with two young eunuchs, studying the three bodies with knitted brows before surveying the surroundings.
"Did any of you hear anything?"
Behind Eunuch Xu stood experts from various quarters who had come upon hearing the news. Their eyes were grave. One elderly man offered his assessment:
"No blood, and little noise. They seem to have been ambushed from behind and killed in one strike. The attacker should be a top grandmaster of unarmed combat."
This was plainly stating the obvious. Any martial artist with eyes could tell as much.
Seeing this, Eunuch Xu turned his gaze toward Eunuch Yin, who had been patrolling nearby.
Eunuch Yin had been on the city wall, not far away, but had heard nothing whatsoever. Only when a guard returning from the street passed this spot and called for reinforcements had he discovered the deaths.
After examining the scene carefully for a while, Eunuch Yin felt it did not resemble the work of a Northern Dynasty martial artist, but could not determine who had done it. He turned toward his most valued adopted son, Cao Aning.
Cao Aning was not particularly accomplished in martial arts, but Cao Gonggong had trained him from childhood, and he served among the secret guards. He knew the Southern Dynasty martial arts schools like treasures in his own home. Half crouching beside